


Warriors of The Range

by solarmau



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Cowboy AU, F/F, Rated For Violence, and by god there's shootin, mentions of alcohol and tobacco, there's rootin', there's tootin', tw guns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:48:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 34,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25230097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarmau/pseuds/solarmau
Summary: With the Horde's cattle empire rapidly claiming the west, ranches like Brightmoon are struggling to keep their land and livestock. A stranger named Adora has come offering help, but with her came Catra, leader of a gang of raiders, bent on revenge and upsetting their cattle drive.If this year's cattle drive fails, they may have to sell the ranch for good.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 48





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> AU made by @starlightmau and @HOTGlRLCATRA on twitter

Yesterday afternoon, Adora tried to ride one of the stock ponies. Maybe it was the heat or the way she was tugging at the bit, but he had a temper on him. Three good bucks and she was sent flying, and she ended up spraining her ankle as she tumbled into the dirt, among other cuts and bruises she got. The grown-ups just wrapped bandages on her and tossed her into the loft of the barn and told her to stay there until her leg got better.

The position she was laying in was uncomfortable at first. Her leg was elevated on an itchy bale of hay and she lay on her back, with a deerskin beneath her separating her from the sharp wood planks. She always thought about how she wanted to get a break from the daily back-breaking work. Now she was given the chance, and she was bored out of her mind. She was laying there, too uncomfortable and hot to fall asleep. She’d hear the stock ponies whinnying as their riders barked commands.

This would have been easier to deal with if Catra got to keep her company. She tried to stay with her, but one of the adults made her come down saying she wouldn’t get supper if she didn’t work today. She just hoped Catra wasn’t having too hard of a time without her. She poked her bandages, as if expecting to see it perfectly healed and she could climb down the ladder and get back to work. She was rewarded with stinging pain from the red hot swelling around her ankle.

When the sun started to set did she start hearing movement up the ladder. The bale of hay was in her way, she couldn’t see who was climbing up. She recognized the low grunts and claws scratching against the wood.

“That you, Catra?” She called out, wiggling around to try and see her.

Catra scampered over, dropping a canteen next to her before flopping down on the raggedy blanket next to her. Adora snatched the canteen and chugged the dirty water from inside. “How’s your leg?” Catra asked as she pawed around the blanket before getting comfortable.

“S’fine,” Adora shrugged. She wasn’t screaming in agony like how she was yesterday, so couldn’t say that she was _bad_ . But she wasn’t able to walk, so she couldn’t say that she was _good_ either. She was just _fine_. “I’ve been bored outta my mind all day.”

“You kiddin’ me?” Catra scoffed. “I’d give anythin’ to not shovel horse crap all day. You’re so ungrateful, y’know that?”

“Ride that bronco then you’ll be right here next to me.”

“Nah, I ain’t as d-dumb or clumsy as you.” 

The swelling around her ankle randomly started to sting again. She sharply inhaled through her teeth as her muscles tensed up. “Did Shadow Weaver mention when the doctor was comin’?”

Catra paused and stared blankly ahead like she was trying to remember. “Yeah… yeah, he said he’d come first thing in the mornin’.”

Adora let out a long groan as she dug her fingers into her hair. The thought of gnawing her own leg was starting to cross her mind. She looked over at Catra, who was still pawing at the blanket. “Was everythin’ fine today?” She asked. “You ain’t have any problems while I was gone? No one gave you problems?”

Her ears pinned back against her head. “What, you think I can’t handle myself without you ‘round?”

“I ain’t mean it like that.”

“I know, idiot. I was messin’ with you.” Catra punched her shoulder. She curled up on the blanket when she was done pawing it around, her tail wrapping around her small body. Her body rose and fell with a heavy sigh as she closed her eyes.

Adora narrowed her eyes and pinched her tail, causing her to shriek and jump up. “Ain’t you forgettin’ somethin’?”

The fur on her tail bristled as he shook like a rattler. “ _Goodnight_ Adora.” She said with a roll of her eyes as she lay back down, this time her back facing Adora. Amost immediately after she said that, she passed out.

* * *

It was a bit easier for Adora to fall asleep now that it wasn’t sweltering out and Catra was with her, but it still took a while for her to get shut-eye. She didn’t fall asleep as quick as Catra did, who was already exhausted from a long day’s work. Her ears kept twitching as she slept, swatting away mosquitos that buzzed around her. Adora’s body was starting to get used to the uncomfortable position she had to stay in. She didn’t like it or find it any less awkward, she just learned to tolerate it enough to fall asleep. 

She faintly heard the sound of thunder through her sleep that gently stirred her, but it was Catra’s body quivering against her that caused her to return to wake up. She raised a hand to comfort her, then the thunderous blast of a shotgun echoed through the valley. Her eyes shot open and the drowsiness in her eyes was gone.

“What’s goin’ on?” Adora exclaimed as she struggled to sit up.

“Rustlers!” Catra hissed, her ears flat against her head. She nodded towards the broken loft doors. “Th-they’re comin’ for the cattle. Octavia and them are trynna chase ‘em off.”

Rustlers, cattle raiders, were more than common out here. They were fast and dangerous, willing to do whatever it took to leave with their cattle or horses. The two of them were always told to hide in the barn if one ever showed up, because it almost always resulted in a shoot-out. During last year’s cattle drive fifteen men and women left, and because of an encounter with rustlers only ten came back.

Adora pulled Catra close and put her hands over her ears. “Hey, it’s alright.” She cooed, her voice spoken just above a whisper. The gunfire ceased shortly after a few moments. Catra’s ears frantically swiveled around independently. “Are they done?”

Catra stepped on her stomach as she tried to scramble over to the loft doors. She stuck her head out, tail swishing as she listened out. “They’re done,” She reported before pulling the doors in and returning to Adora’ side. She ran her hand down her tail to smooth the fur down. “Don’t those rustlers ever go to sleep? It’s too late for this!”

“Lonnie said they come out at night ‘cuz--”

“Yeah, I _know_.” Catra’s fur bristled again at the mention of that name. She picked at the wood between her feet with her claws. “Y’know, sh-she called me a… a yella’ belly, she said, for bein’ ‘fraid a’ gunsmoke.”

“Don’t listen t’her, Catra. She’s just bein’ mean.”

“I don’t,” She mumbled. She dug under the blankets and hid herself, her tail sticking out and thumping against the ground. “I hate this place so much. I-I wanna… _shoot_ , I dunno! I wanna be anywhere but here.” She poked her head out, narrowing her eyes as she saw Adora’s big eyes staring back at her. “Why you starin’ at me for? Y-you look dumb.”

“I was just thinkin’?”

Curiosity piqued, Catra sat up and let the blanket fall to her shoulders. “‘Bout what?”

Adora rolled on her back and looked up at the ceiling. “Well, you don’t like it here. You ain’t happy, and I ain’t happy if you ain’t happy. So where could we go where we could be happy?”

The two went quiet for a while as they thought it over. They weren’t prepared for this simple question to be so difficult to answer. They assumed they were going to grow up and die working on this ranch. Where else would they go? What else would they do?

Aside from the ranch, there was the town some miles away. They only went there once or twice to help carry stuff to sell and look after the horses pulling the carriage. They never went to school, never picked up a book. They didn’t know much about the world outside of the ranch.

“What about the city?” Adora suggested. “Like the one Shadow Weaver came from?”

Catra hissed and shook her head. “No way, a-anythin’ b-but that!”

They knew there were cities far away, ones so big they could swallow the little towns they were used to. Shadow Weaver wasn’t the type to sit the little orphans down and tell them about her life before she moved west. But they gathered that the city was a place where tenderfoots that don’t like to get their hands dirty lived. 

Catra already didn’t like the town, it was just a place with more rules and noises. If the city was like that on a larger scale, she wanted nothing to do with it. And Adora just liked the freedom of being out here. Maybe she didn’t have much freedom since she was still little and had to do everything the adults told her to do. But there was something about waking up and seeing the mountains in the distance, acres of open land that was liberating in a way. She wouldn’t give that up anytime soon.

“You like horses, right?” Catra finally spoke up, averting her gaze as her ears lay flat out like bird wings. 

“I sure do,” Adora nodded. ‘Like’ was probably an understatement. The adults always said that horses and dogs on the farm were working animals, not cuddly pets to get too attached to. She couldn’t help it, though. She loved the stock ponies on the ranch, they were all such good and smart creatures. 

Catra managed a smirk. “Even that bronco that bucked you off?” Her giggles were broken up by a few series of snorts. “That dumb ol’ pony, I hate ‘em. He keeps bitin’ me and rearin’ up for no reason.”

“Yes, even him.” Adora rolled her eyes with a smile. “Y’know, he’s grumpy ‘cuz he ain’t gelded.”

“I’ll geld that dumb horse m’self,” Catra mumbled as she flexed her claws.

Adora suddenly started breaking out in laughter. Catra gave her a look. What she said wasn’t that funny, yet she looked like she was about to bust a lung. “Y’know… that reminds me of a joke that Lonnie--” She stopped when she saw Catra’s tail bristle up again. “Ah, nevermind. What was you sayin’?”

Catra hid under the blankets. “Nevermind.”

“C’mon, what was you sayin’?”

“F-forget it.”

“Aw, _c’mon_!” Adora reached over and gave her tail a bit of a gentle tug. “You got me all curious! Just say it, I won’t tease.”

“Knock it off, will ya?” Catra hissed and whipped around, smacking her hand. She grumbled and smoothed out her fur. “If we earn enough money when we’re big, well, w-we could buy a horse ranch. No cows, I’m sick a’ cows. W-we could go east away from them rustlers.”

That was all it took to get Adora excited. She clapped her hands together and her eyes grew wide and had a twinkle in them. “ _Ooh_ , I’d love that! What kinda horses should we get? You feelin’ big draft horses or fancy lil’ Arabians?”

Catra wasn’t big on horses the way Adora was. She knew the name of horse breeds, but she probably couldn’t point them out. Horses all looked alike to her, she didn’t know what made one breed different from another. But she liked hearing Adora talk about them, there was real love and passion in her voice when she talked about horses. She chose to indulge in the fantasy, even if she didn’t understand much of what she was talking about.

“D-didn’t you say Quarter Horses were your favorite?” Catra said. “Or was it Paint Horses?”

“How’d you know?”

“You told me.”

“Oh,” Adora scratched her head. “I said Paints were pretty, but Quarter Horses were my favorite. You think we should raise those kinds a’ horses?”

“Sure.” Catra started to yawn. She rested her head on Adora’s side as her eyes started to close. “Whatever you want.”

“You think we’ll be able to afford a big ole’ place, hm?” Adora asked, raising her arms up and resting them behind her head. “One like this, huh?”

“I don’t want nothin’ fancy,” Catra shook her head slightly. “As long as it’s j-just the two of us.”

Adora started giggling and she pinched Catra’s ears. “Aw, you’s gettin’ soft on me.”

Catra hissed and raised a hand with claws flexed. “Touch my ears again and I-I’ll break your other leg!”

“My leg ain’t broke, it’s sprained.”

“Whatever,” Catra grumbled and she slumped back down, tail sweeping the floor. Her ears twitched as she felt Adora’s eyes boring into the back of her head.

“How long d’you think? ‘Till we can afford a place of our own?”

Catra’s chest rose and fell with a quick, heavy sigh. “Can’t be long, right? If Hordak can do it, so can we. And he’s scared a’ horses.”

“He is?”

“Yeah. He may act all talk, b-but he’s a city-slicker.” Catra giggled. “You shoulda seen him today! One of the cows charged at him and he cried like a lil’ sissy.”

Adora started laughing as the image came in her head. Hordak was the owner of the ranch, but he almost never came down from his house to help with the work. He’d stroll in on his big horse and bark orders at everyone, but that’s it. Sometimes when his brother came, he’d brag about all the work that _he’s_ done for the place. 

He was a bit of a scary man. He was always quiet and glowering in the rare instance she was ever in his presence. He was quick to snap on a dime, though, and his voice was so loud when he got angry. But the image of him being a quiet, mysterious man was ruined by the image of him running away from one of his own cows.

“Shoot, it’s late, ain’t it?” Adora said as she pulled the blanket over the both of them. “We should go to sleep.”

“Why? Not like you got work in the mornin’.”

“Aw, shuddup.” Adora flicked her ear again. After another quick fit of giggles, they settled down and it got quiet again. Catra curled up in a ball, using Adora’s stomach as a pillow. She reached up and flicked her ear. “You forgot again.”

“Geez!” Catra grumbled and swatted her hand away. “Goodnight, Adora.” She said with a huff, resting her arm over her eyes.

Adora let out a snicker before closing her eyes as well. “G’night.”


	2. The Unnamed Mustang

About seventeen yearling cattle stood together at the far end of the corral, big hooves stomping at the loose dirt and tails swishing. Adora felt Swift Wind’s muscles bunching up beneath her as he eagerly chewed on his bit. She made a clicking sound and raised the reins, commanding the gelding to move towards the herd. He was moving towards them more calmly and quiet now. That was an improvement from yesterday’s training session, where he was charging in and jumping around like a rapid cattle dog.

She raised her bandana over her nose as the cows started kicking up dirt as they approached. The cows started to turn as he silently pushed through the herd. A few cows started to divert away. She turned him towards a slow black cow with a white marking on its face near the edge of the herd. This one seemed easy, not too much of a challenge for the gelding who was still training. She loosened her hold on the reins and let them fall to his strong neck.  _ This one _ .

Swift Wind had to do this part on his own. Controlling the cows and isolating one from the herd was a skill she was tasked with making sure he learned. This part was like a game to Swift Wind. He had to always be a step ahead of the cow. If it moved left, he had to move left. If it stopped, he had to stop. If he could keep the cow away from the herd until he got the command to stop, then he won. If the cow got past him, then he lost. 

Swift Wind probably wouldn’t get a ribbon for his form and she had to use reins every now and again to correct him, but he was getting the job done just fine. They held the cow for a good minute by now. She picked up the reins to signal him to stop, yet he continued jumping back and forth to block the cow off. She pulled the reins back again, continuing to do so until he begrudgingly came to a stop and let the cow pass him.

“Atta boy, Swifty!” She praised through an encouraging pat on the side of his neck. “You’re gettin’ better at this, bud.” She took off her Stetson hat to wipe the beads of sweat gathering on her forehead. “That’s enough for today, let’s—”

A lasso suddenly fell over her head and onto her chest. She looked down at it and blinked in confusion. The moment she registered what just happened, the lasso tightened and she was pulled off of Swift Wind’s saddle. She landed with a thud on the loose dirt on her arm. Swift Wind nickered and stepped back in surprise. Adora groaned and sat up, pulling the lasso off over her head before she could get dragged like a calf again.

“Howdy, Adora!” Catra snickered from the other side of the fence, a wheat between her teeth as she was reeling the lasso back in. She sat atop one of the generic stock horses, a black Stetson hat sitting crooked on top of her head. “Hope I didn’t get your hat dirty, Princess.” She looked over at Swift Wind and smirked. She started twitching her tail like a snake and making hissing sounds to try and spook him. Swift Wind pawed at the ground and snorted. “Aw, he don’t fall for that no more?”

“Why you keep tryin’ t’scare him?” Adora said as she dusted herself off. She took Swift Wind’s reins in her hand and led him towards the fence. She patted Swift Wind and stroked his face, just to reassure him that Catra’s tail wasn’t a snake. Last time she pulled that trick, he bucked her off and ran for the hills. She had to chase him down and lasso him.

“‘Cuz it’s funny,” She shrugged. “Hey, I’m helpin’ you. He used to be scared, and now he ain’t freakin’ out. I bet he won’t high-tail it if he comes across a snake on the drive. You’re welcome!”

“Ain’t you got somewhere to be?” Adora smacked her hat to get the dirt out of it before putting it back on her head. “Why you gotta mess up our trainin’ session?”

“Trainin’? Please, I saw you picking up those reins, you were doin’ all the work for ‘em. How’s he gonna learn? His head’s also too high.” She said in jest. She cut Adora off before she could go on a ramble trying to defend herself. “Anyway, Shadow Weaver asked me to come fetch you.”

“Why?” Adora asked as she mounted Swift Wind again. Her stomach tightened and she swallowed hard. She couldn’t help but be paranoid when it came to that woman. Talking to her was like walking barefoot in a field of eggshells and dynamite. 

“Well get a move on and you’ll find out,” Catra turned her horse around and waited for Adora to join her. She saw Adora backing Swift Wind up and she rolled her eyes. “Just use the gate, don’t—” Swift Wind already broke into a sprint and leaped cleanly over the fence and onto the other side. Adora’s smug grin made her tail twitch. “Now why you gotta show off like that?”

Their horses joined side by side as they trotted down the dirt path carved by years of footsteps and wagons. “So what did Shadow Weaver want me for?” Adora asked again.

Catra suddenly growled and her tail thrashed like a rattler. “You know what she said to me today?” She cried. Adora probably wasn’t going to get an answer to her question anytime soon. “She said she was gonna cut our pay! ‘Cuz a’ some… somethin’ about…  _ shoot _ ! I dunno! You know how she is, always talkin’ in tongues to make me look stupid.”

“You ain’t stupid.” 

“ _ I _ know that!” Catra cried defensively.

“But this don’t make sense,” Adora frowned as she tapped her chin. “She just said that she was raisin’ my pay, so it’s…” 

Catra suddenly yanked on the reins and forced the horse to stop. Her pupils shrunk to small black slivers and her eyes narrowed. Adora slowly pulled Swift Wind to a stop and turned to face her. “ _ Ohhh _ , you’ve gotta be kidding me.” She wiped her face and broke out in low, defeated laughter. “I do the exact same shit you do and I… alright. I see how it is.”

“Catra—”

Catra’s horse broke into a gallop, kicking up a cloud of dirt as she tore down the path. Adora let out a heavy sigh before urging Swift Wind to chase after her. The thought of getting her lasso and throwing it over Catra crossed her mind, but now probably wasn’t the time for childish paybacks. It’d only make her mood worse, and Adora would end up with some scratches if she tried that now. 

“Catra would you slow down?” Adora called, though she easily caught up to Catra on Swift Wind. Catra shifted her ears away from her as she kept her gaze forward.

She barreled past some workers and finally slowed down when they entered the shade of the horse stables. It felt several days cooler the moment they got out of the sweltering heat of the midday sun. A couple of horses in the stalls nickered at them as they arrived. Catra dismounted the horse before it came to a full stop. She grabbed its reins and led it into a stall, the horse desperately gulping down the water in its trough.

“Catra, c’mon.” Adora pleased as she dismounted Swift Wind. The gelding walked over to a bale of hay on his own and started nibbling at it. Catra slammed the stall door shut as she undid the horse’s saddle. “Catra, I get why you’re upset. I don’t know why she… I don’t control that stuff, I just—”

“It’s ‘cuz you’re a kiss-ass,” Catra snapped. She stared hard at Adora for a brief moment before relaxing her gaze and shaking her head with a heavy sigh of defeat. “I ain’t mad at you, I’m mad at  _ her _ . I’m just…” She made random hand gestures as she struggled to convey herself properly. “I do the  _ exact _ stuff you do, yet you get a raise and  _ my _ pay gets docked?”

“I mean, you do get a temper with her.”

“So that means I don’t deserve the money I worked for?”

“I ain’t mean it like that, I’m just sayin…” Adora stepped out of Catra’s way as she moved out of the stall and tossed the saddle and bridle down. “Look, I’m sorry, this ain’t fair. You want me to, I dunno, talk to her?”

“I don’t want your pity.” Catra grumbled as she leaned against the wall. Her ear twitched and she growled. “Speak of the devil…”

Adora stood at attention when Shadow Weaver entered the stables. Catra crossed her arms over her chest and looked away so she couldn’t see her eyes rolling. She looked so out of place among all these rough, dirty and sweat covered workers. She wasn’t new to the country, yet she never shook the city look off of her, and she probably didn’t want to. She had a smooth gait with her back straight and head high. 

“Adora,” Hearing the name rolling off that bitter woman’s tongue made her stiffen up. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Adora politely took her hat off and held it to her chest. “Yes, Ma’am? What can I do for you?”

She put a hand on Adora’s back and guided her out the stables. “A mustang has been brought in this morning. I’ve been told you are an excellent horse trainer, and I trust you can break this mustang and get it in working shape.”

“Ah, well I think that’s givin’ me too much credit.” Adora said as with a humble shrug. 

Shadow Weaver stopped and looked behind them. “And why are  _ you _ following us?” She demanded. Adora turned around, seeing Catra standing behind them with her thumbs stuffed in the pockets of her pants and tail bristled. “Do you not have work elsewhere, Catra?”

Adora joined beside Catra and put her hands on her shoulders. “She’s real good with horses, ma’am. Honest! Them mules we got used to never listen to nobody, but she got ‘em haulin wagons and junk around quick as a whip, she did. She can help me out!”

Shadow Weaver let out a loud groan to let them both know of her distaste, yet she begrudgingly gestured for them both to follow anyway. They heard the mustang before they even turned the corner to approach the corral. She was trotting around in a circle, neighing and kicking the fence in distaste for captivity. Someone was standing in the middle of the yard, a lasso swinging in his hands. He tossed the lasso, but the mare would turn on her heels and jump out of the way with the quickness of a deer. 

“Is that the mustang?” Adora asked as she approached the fence and rested her elbows on it. She let out a whistle as she set her hat back on her head. “She’s a beauty, ain’t she?”

She was a handsome horse with a strong, stocky body and large hooves, albeit a bit skinny. She had a sleek black coat that was shining under the sun from her sweat. A white star marking sat between her eyes and she had a white sock on her right forehoof. Once the man in the yard saw Shadow Weaver, he rolled up his lasso and high-tailed it out of the yard, the mustang chasing after him with a ferocious neigh and a strong stomp of her hoof against the ground. 

Catra shook her head as she started laughing. “Looks like you’ve got your hands full, Princess.” She said with a jab of her elbow to her side. “Good luck tamin’ that thing.”

“We keepin’ her?” Adora asked as she looked up at Shadow Weaver, who was standing with her hands together a good length away from the corral.

“If you are able to break her, that is.” Shadow Weaver nodded. “It would be beneficial to have her breed with the stock horses. If not, then we are to sell her and find a suitable breeding mare elsewhere. I have faith in your abilities, Adora.”

Adora was more excited about the opportunity than afraid. The ranch was more than familiar with mustangs. She helped train some of their half-wild mustangs to pull wagons, but she never tamed a fully wild mustang before. Not on her own, at least. This mare grew up galloping through the valley and outrunning wolves. The stories this creature could tell if she could speak. She climbed over the fence and jumped into the yard. The mare snorted and trotted over to the other side of the corral to be as far away from her as she was allowed. 

“How much time do you think you’ll need to break her?” Shadow Weaver asked, sounding impatient like she was already taking too long to get the job done.

“Um…” Adora’s eyes scanned the ground like she was hoping to find the answer written in the dirt. That was a question she didn’t have an answer prepared for. She didn’t do this regularly, she didn’t know the average time it took to tame a mustang, especially one as rowdy as this one. “Like… four months?” She said, her voice cracking with uncertainty. 

She hoped Shadow Weaver could tell she wasn’t confident with the number given and would maybe cut her some slack. She didn’t know why she hoped that. “Alright, then.” Shadow Weaver clapped her hands together and turned. “I will stop by every now and again to see your progress.”

Catra and Adora both went quiet as they watched her walk away. “Four months? Seriously?” Catra said with a pathetic snicker, turning around when Shadow Weaver was out of earshot. “You ain’t gonna break that thing in four months.”

“Not with that attitude, partner!” She returned her attention back to the mare, whose ears were pinned and tail flagged. “Hey there, I ain’t gonna hurtcha.” She said in a low voice. She approached the mare from behind and pointed in the direction she intended the mare to go. The mare moved in the direction she wanted, the gesture not meaning anything to her just yet.

Catra’s tail sweeped the grass as she watched from a distance. “What are you gonna name her?” She asked. She watched as Adora tried to get the mare to change direction. “Put more pressure on.”

“Yeah yeah, I know.” She said with a dismissive wave of her hand. That slight movement unintentionally caused the mare to start trotting away from her. Wild mustangs were sensitive to the slightest movements, she should have remembered that. Adora cursed under her breath, frustrated that she let herself make that mistake. “Ah…” She stepped back to allow the mare to stop. “Think I gotta work ‘er a lil more, I think. She’ll earn ‘er name.”

The mare stopped when it came around to Catra, giving her a quick sniff before she continued trotting around. “She likes you,” Adora chuckled.

“Get ‘er to stop,” Catra said in a low voice. “Ease off pressure and—”

“I got it, Catra.” The fur on her tail bristled and started thrashing, which caused the mare to panic and pick up speed. Adora cursed under her breath again. “Catra, can you just…”

“Uh huh,” Catra mumbled and turned and started walking away. Her tone was frustrated and annoyed, but at herself not Catra. She bit the inside as her cheek, not paying any mind to the mare as she came to a stop behind her. She wasn’t sure if she should chase after her and apologize or try and explain herself later. 

Lonnie came from the barn and jogged up to her before she could make the choice. The two of them stopped and started talking in the shade cast by the tall horse stables. That was weird. She had never seen the two of them have a casual conversation, and they didn’t even look like they were arguing. Her ears weren’t as sharp as Catra’s, she couldn’t tell what they were talking about. But they kept nodding at each other.

Lonnie gave Catra a playful shove on the shoulder before going back on her way. Catra remained in place, hands on her hips as she stared ahead. Her ear twitched and she looked back in Adora’s direction. She flinched. It was too late to act like she wasn’t staring. Catra’s tail swished before she continued on her way, moving around the corner of the barn and leaving Adora’s sight.

* * *

The creak of wood and clop of horseshoes against the stable floor woke Adora up. She yawned and stretched her arms out, scratching her back as some straw fell under her shirt. Her eyes shot open when she realized Catra wasn’t with her. She shifted the ripped-up blanket around like she’d find her hiding underneath. She slowly crept towards the ladder and looked below. A glass bottle suddenly broke, causing her to flinch and draw back.

“Watch it, Kyle!” She heard Catra’s voice hiss at him as she struck him on the back of the head. “You wanna wake up the whole ranch?”

“Sorry…” He sheepishly mumbled.

Adora gasped at the sound of Catra’s voice. A nagging feeling gnawed ather stomach, a feeling telling her that something was up. Catra never snuck out late at night, not without her at least. When they were a few years younger they snuck into the landlord’s wine cellar and stole some bottles, and another time they took some horses out to do a late night ride together. That feeling in her gut told her that this wasn’t the same as those last few times.

She swung herself over the ladder and jumped down. Everyone froze when they heard her feet land against the ground. Rogelio was helping Kyle onto the back of his saddle and Lonnie had already mounted her horse. Catra had her foot on the saddle, her ears pinned back and tail stiffened upon being caught. She quickly relaxed and narrowed her eyes at her, looking annoyed that she couldn’t stay asleep and mind her business.

“What’s goin’ on here?” Adora asked, taking a cautious step forward. She looked down at Catra’s belt and narrowed her eyes. “Catra… why do you have your revolver?”

Lonnie chuckled and shook her head. “Nuh-uh, you’re dealing with her. We’ll wait for you on the road.” The two horses galloped out of the barn, leaving Catra and Adora behind. Catra crossed her arms, waiting for the sound of hooves to vanish.

“I asked you a question,” Adora said with more authority in her voice as she stepped towards her. Catra’s ears pinned and her lips twitched, teasing a flash of her sharp teeth. “Catra, why do you have your revolver? Where are y’all goin’?”

“God damn, why can’t you mind your business?” Catra exclaimed as she threw her arms down. “That’s just what you do, ain’t it? You stick your nose where it don’t belong.”

“I just want you to answer me, Catra!” Her voice sounded pathetic, pleading to her.  _ Tell me you aren’t going to do what I think you’re about to do. I’m begging you to prove me wrong. _

Catra turned her head away and adjusted her hat so it cast a shadow over her eyes. “Since our pay got cut, the guys and I, we… we were gonna go raid some livestock.”

“Catra, c’mon—”

“See? This is why I don’t tell you shit.” Catra interrupted as she turned to mount the horse again.

“Catra, I ain’t playin’!” Adora grabbed her arm and pulled her down, almost knocking her completely off balance. The horse nickered and stepped back.

“Oh, so you think I am?” Catra shouted back as she sharply pulled her hand out of Adora’s grip. “You think I’m doin’ this just to, what, ‘cuz I’m an idiot?”

“Catra—!”

“I’m doing this ‘cuz I need money, Adora!” The way Catra raised her voice at her made Adora shrink back. She never raised her voice like that to anyone, much less her. She sounded so angry and desperate, and she didn’t know what to say to make her better, to make her change her mind and go back to bed.

Adora narrowed her eyes and grabbed her arm again, grunting as Catra tried to fight to free herself again. “So money is worth your life?” She tried to fight the sob taking hold of her voice, and she was failing. “If a rancher catches you, he’ll shoot you.”

“Not if I shoot ‘em first.”

“Then that makes you a killer,” Adora shot back quickly. “Can you live with that? Takin’ someone else’s life?”

“If he don’t care ‘bout takin’ my life then why should I care ‘bout takin’ his?”

“What if there’s a bounty on your head after tonight?” Adora demanded. “If, heaven forbid, you don’t get shot… What then? Shadow Weaver won’t hesitate to sell you out, you know that right?”

“Lord, you’re paranoid.”

“I’m just—” Adora’s throat closed up and she couldn’t get the words out. She forced herself to breathe in an attempt to steady her nerves. She knew what she wanted to say to her, but the right words didn’t come out. “I can’t… I won’t be able to protect you if you go out there.”

Catra blinked and she went quiet. She smirked and her chest bounced with a low chuckle. She slipped her hand free of Adora’s grip and stepped back. “So that’s what this is about?” She said in a low, growly voice. “You… you think you always gotta be the damn hero? You gotta follow me ‘round like a damn dog ‘cuz you think I can’t handle myself?”

“That’s not what—”

“Goodbye, Adora. I’ll see you in the morning.” Catra turned around and led her horse away before Adora could grab her again. 

Adora’s hands were quivering now, her knees were buckling. She couldn’t control her breathing, her legs, her heart. She was losing control of everything right now. The image of a bullet striking Catra made her sick to her stomach, it almost made her faint. She ran after her, head still spinning so she was almost running blindly towards her. She stumbled into Catra and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look her in the eyes.

“Don’t do it, please!” She was practically screaming now. She was seconds away from begging on her knees, hands clasped together. Her chest bounced with a hiccup. Catra’s ears lay flat and she tried to look away, unable to look at Adora when she was like this. “If you die, I… I don’t know what I’d do. I have nothing left, Catra, I don’t. Please don’t risk your life like this, I’m begging you.”

Her vision became blurred from the tears filling her eyes. She gripped Catra until her knuckles became pale, not allowing her to slip away for another second. With a sigh, Catra pulled her in for a hug and patted her back. Adora blinked as she tried to process what was happening.

“I won’t go,” She said quietly. “I’ll stay, I promise. For you, okay? Just… stop crying, will ya?”

“ _ No _ !” Adora laughed into her shoulder. “You scared me so much, I-I thought that…”

“Yeah yeah,” Catra mumbled. She let Adora get some tears out of her system. “Are y’done? Can we go to sleep now?”

Adora wiped her eyes and stepped back. “Can you tell the others to come back?”

Catra rolled her eyes and shrugged. “I  _ guess _ , but Lonnie’s gonna be pissed about it.”

“I don’t care,” Adora sighed. Her pulse was starting to slow now and she could finally control her breathing again. “I just want y’all safe. That stuff is dangerous, y’know? They could shoot you, and if they catch you alive…”

“I’m aware.”

“So why’d you do it?” Adora asked, bending down to meet her eyes better. She tried not to sound angry again. “You knew you could get hurt, so why…?”

Catra sighed loudly to cut her off and mounted the horse. “You go back to the loft, alright? I’ll go tell them to come back.”

Adora tensed up when she saw her get on the horse. She could easily proceed on with the raid now, there wouldn’t be much that she could do to stop them at that point. She couldn’t help but hold her breath as she watched Catra’s horse gallop down the dirt path away from her towards the trio impatiently waiting atop the hill. She didn’t need to ask again, she knew she didn’t. Catra promised, and she wasn’t going to go back on her word.

Adora returned to the loft and she waited. She sat there, thumbs twiddling as she waited to hear Catra’s horse returning to its stall. She wanted to trust Catra’s word, she wanted to lay down in confidence that she wasn’t going to go back on what she said. But there was always the chance that she would. She didn’t know how big that chance was, though. That’s what made her worry.

Her eyes were starting to become too heavy to keep open when she heard Lonnie shouting from below. She finally exhaled in relief and relaxed her muscles. Catra didn’t respond to Lonnie as she shouted at her, throwing a myriad of insults at her for backing down last minute and messing up their plan. Catra was usually always one to argue with her, but tonight she was too tired. She tossed the saddle and bridle aside and started climbing up the ladder.

Adora had never been happier to see her. Catra stopped to look at her. “Were you waiting on me?” She said as she continued climbing up and joined beside her, not even pawing the blanket around to adjust it before throwing her weight down on it. 

“Couldn’t help it, sorry.”

Catra curled up in a ball, her head resting on folded arms. Her blue eye slowly peeked open at her, her tail bristling and thumping against the floor when she saw Adora staring back at her with that dumb look on her face. She closed her eyes shut and buried her face in her arms. 

“ _ Goodnight _ , Adora.”


	3. The Runaway

Six beer bottles stood in formation atop the makeshift wall made of sand bags and bricks. Adora pulled Catra’s spare revolver from her holster and whipped around, firing all six shots in the direction of the bottles. Her bullets either flew past the bottles, hit the wall they were resting on, or grazed the bottles and caused them to spin around for a bit. Her final bullet blew the top off of one of the bullets, but the bottom-half was still somehow remaining on the wall.

Catra threw her head back and laughed behind her, her laughter broken by a series of snorts. “Hey, cut me slack, will ya? I ain’t done this in a while.” She grumbled in defeat as she shoved the gun in its holster. Catra smugly sauntered beside her, a hand on her belt. “I’d like to see you—”

Catra pulled her revolver from its holster, spinning it around her finger three times before pointing it at the bottles. She fired the gun six times, and each bullet struck each of the bottles and caused them to shatter into tiny pieces upon impact. She blew the smoke from the barrel and twirled it around a few more times before returning it to its holster, her ego further boosted. 

“You were sayin’?”

This little spot was a good walk away from the activity of the ranch, allowing them to practice their shooting to themselves. They used to come out here when they were kids. Octavia taught them how to shoot when they were only nine, in hopes to get them used to guns at an early age so they could defend the ranch when they’re older. Catra came out here when she was younger to get over her fear of guns, and she’d continue to come out here when she got her own pair of Colt SAA Revolvers of her own. She became the quickest draw on the entire ranch, and she took every opportunity to show off.

Catra dedicated a lot of time practicing to perfect her fast draw, and it paid off. Adora never really understood why, though. She never asked, she assumed that was just her thing and left it be. Maybe learning how to have a fast draw just gave her something to do and look forward to that wasn’t related to ranchwork. 

It was quiet today and the sun was starting to show a bit of mercy on them today. They were out there for only thirty minutes, standing beneath the shade of a tree that stood among the field of short golden grass that brushed against their dark brown skin. Not knowing when they’d have another nice day like this, they figured now was a good time to shoot bottles together. It’d been a while since they did this last. It wasn’t much of a game anymore for Adora, more of a confidence booster for Catra. She usually offered to take her out shooting bottles when Catra’s mood was low. Seeing Adora miss almost every bottle and then immediately take them all down effortlessly always brought her spirits back up.

It’d been a while since she had stopped Catra and the others from going on that night raid. None of them really spoke of it afterwards, they just continued on like nothing had even happened. Adora didn’t mind that, she didn’t want to be reminded of the sickening feeling of fear and failure she had as Catra started walking away from her. Cattle raiding was a serious crime, it wasn’t small and petty like pick-pocketing. Adora had grown up watching what their ranch did to anyone they caught trying to wrangle cattle. She still wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about how that could have been Catra. 

None of that mattered now. Catra wasn’t going to do it again, and she was safe on the ranch and everything was fine now.

“How d’you fire so quick?” Adora said, perplexed as she filled the chamber. She put her finger off the trigger and tried to see how quickly she could raise the gun. “Is it in the wrist or…?”

Catra snickered and picked up a single bottle from the crate they had. “Worry about actually hitting a bottle, first of all.” She firmly planted the bottle on the wall and jogged back to Adora’s side. “Try again. Don’t worry about being fast, worry about being accurate.”

Adora exhaled loudly through her mouth before assuming proper stance. She breathed slowly as she took the time to align the barrel in the direction she wanted to shoot in. She pulled the trigger and red smoke erupted from the barrel of the gun. The bottle exploded upon impact, the glass shattering as the tiny pieces were scattered around in the dirt.

“There y’go, you’re gettin’ there.” Catra said as she slapped her on the back. She took the revolver from Adora and emptied the barrel. “Alright, now quit wastin’ my bullets.”

“Yeah, I should get back to taming Miss No-Name.” Adora took her hat that was hanging on a tree branch and set it on her head. 

“How’s that goin’?”

“Great!” Adora beamed. “She’s starting to look at me now, and I think she’s understanding my gestures now.”

“Nice,” Catra nodded with a proud smile. “Think you can ride No-Name today?”

Adora shuttered at the thought. The mustang was finally warming up to people, albeit slowly. They were fine with being petted with one hand, but spooked when a second hand touched them. She was like the barn cats in a way. They both tolerated people being around them and every now and again they’d let themselves get pet on a good day, but anything more than that would result in a scratch (rather in the mustang’s case, a kick).

Putting a bridle and saddle on the mustang with no name was a nightmare. Adora had put a lasso around her neck to get her used to the feeling, and she absolutely hated it. She tried so desperately to get the lasso off that she got herself tangled up and ended up falling over. Once she learned that the lasso wasn’t going to hurt her, Adora assumed that meant that it was time to start putting a halter and a saddle on her. 

She was fine with the sight of a saddle, but any noise it made freaked her out. She’d stomp and snort if Adora tried to come towards her with a saddle. It took Adora three days to put a saddle on her back without her bucking it off, and even then she was trying to shake it off. And the halter… dear God, the halter. She knew what it was, she had seen the other horses in the yard with these things. To let a halter on her head meant accepting captivity and surrendering any ounce of freedom she had left. Adora did manage to get a halter on her, and to make a long story short, she left the corral covered in bite marks and bruises. Adora tried to get a bridle on her a few days later, and she ended up snapping the thing like it was made of string.

“I don’t think so,” Adora nervously chuckled as she rubbed the back of her neck. “She’ll buck me off for sure, and y’know I can’t stay on a bronco for long. I’m gonna give her some more time.”

“I can help lasso her and pin her down while you put the bridle on.” Catra suggested, probably half-joking.

“Don’t say that!” Adora shoved her shoulder. “I’m tryin’ to get her to _like_ people, not be traumatized by them. It’ll take a while, but once she forms a bond with people it’ll be worth it.”

“Tell Shadow Weaver that.”

They followed the dirt trail back to the corrals, keeping to the side as some men on horseback trotted past them. Once their mustang’s corral was in sight, they saw Shadow Weaver watching the mare drinking from a bucket of water placed beside her. Catra groaned loudly and dug her claws into her hair.

“Lord, what does she want?” She mumbled.

They both reluctantly approached her. Adora knew what Shadow Weaver wanted. She wanted an update on the mustang. Adora tried to mentally prepare herself for questions she may have, and what answer would make Shadow Weaver the least angry with her. They only had so much money to put towards feeding the animals, and she wasn’t going to want to waste anymore valuable resources on a horse that won’t benefit their ranch. Adora started to like the unnamed mustang, even if she didn’t like her back. She’d hate to see her go so quickly when she didn’t even get the chance to get a bit in her mouth.

“Howdy, ma’am.” Adora spoke up, her thumbs awkwardly stuffed in her pockets. Catra was standing just behind her, arms crossed and tail swishing in irritation. “Uh… you came to check on No-Name here?”

“Yes I have,” Shadow Weaver said as she continued to watch the mare eat. No-Name twitched her ear and snorted at all the people gathering around her corral. “How is she coming along? Will she be in working condition soon?”

Adora glanced over at Catra, like she was expecting her to have a good answer. “...Yes?” Adora answered, her voice cracking from lack of confidence. “She’s doin’ much better than when we brought her in. She’s handling a lasso just fine, and she doesn’t spook as easy no more.”

Shadow Weaver didn’t respond to her answer, and that made her nervous. “Very well,” She eventually said, though she didn’t sound satisfied. She turned her attention to Catra and her brows raised. “Catra, there you are!” Catra’s tail was thrashing so hard it brushed against the back of Adora’s legs every now and again. Shadow Weaver pulled out an envelope and handed it to her. “I need you to deliver this for me.”

“Why me?” Catra acked rhetorically with a click of her tongue. She already knew the answer to her question. First, Shadow Weaver didn’t speak Spanish (and at this rate she probably was never going to learn), and most of the people in the town of Thaymor only spoke Spanish. Second, Catra couldn’t read. That was probably the main reason, actually.

“I don’t see you doing anything else,” Shadow Weaver said, gesturing around her. Catra opened her mouth to argue, but she bit her tongue.

“Whatever,” Catra said as she stuffed the envelope in her pocket. “C’mon, Adora. We can stop by the saloon after—”

“No, I don’t think so.” Shadow Weaver shook her finger. She had weird hands that reminded the two of them like a skeleton, Her fingers were long and her hand was bony. “Adora has her work, and you have yours.”

“It’s fine,” Adora put her hand on Catra before she could start another argument between the two of them. The fur on Catra’s tail smoothed at her touch and her ears perked up. “We can go to the saloon tonight. I’ll be here when you get back, alright? I promise.”

“Yeah, sure.” Catra smirked at her and nudged her with her shoulder. “Have fun with your crazy horse.”

She and Shadow Weaver turned and walked away. Adora watched Catra as she went to the stables to grab a horse to take with her. Adora had a nagging feeling in her head that she couldn’t name, like a fly buzzing around her that she couldn’t swat away. She was trying to remember something, she just couldn’t put her finger on it. It had something to do with the town, she knew that. But what was it?

If she couldn’t remember then it probably didn’t matter that much. She climbed over the fence, the mare snorting when she landed on the other side. “Howdy, miss.” Adora tipped her hat politely to the mare. “Are you in a good mood today?”

Adora glanced over at the stables, watching as Catra rode out on the back of a tall, narrow-bodied horse. The horse broke into a gallop and took off quickly, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind them. That nagging feeling in her head only grew as she watched Catra disappear over the hills. She patted the side of her head to try and get her brain working.

The nameless mustang snorted and turned her head around. She didn’t like when Adora stood between her eyes, she always kept Adora in her right eye at all times. She wasn’t bucking or stomping around at her now. She was standing still and licking her lips, a sign that she was thinking about the person before her. Adora turned to the lasso, bridle, and saddle that sat piled up on a wooden box. The bridle fell on the floor as she reached for the lasso, and that was when her mind lit up with realization.

“ _Shoot_!” She exclaimed. She was supposed to go to Thaymor to get the bridle fixed, that’s what she was trying to remember. She snapped her fingers, wishing she got to tell Catra that before she left. She could still go after her, and they could spend some time in town together. It wasn’t like Shadow Weaver was going to mount a horse and try and stop her. “I’ll be right back, No-Name. Promise! Don’t go nowhere!”

The mare probably didn’t care that she was leaving. In fact, she was probably glad that she could go back to eating her hay. Adora grabbed the broken bridle and jogged into the stables. She put her lips to her teeth and whistled, watching as her chestnut Quarter gelding picked his head up at the sound of her call. She threw a saddle on his back and adjusted a bridle around his face. For a moment, she took a moment to appreciate having a horse that actually listened to her.

She stuffed the broken bridle in a bag that hung from the saddle beside a spare lasso. She swung her leg over her back and sat on his back. “Ready to go for a ride, Swifty?” She said as she patted his strong neck. 

He broke into a gallop at her command once he was out of the stables. He struck the ground with his strong gray hooves, kicking up dirt clouds behind him. She hadn’t taken him into town in a while, he’d probably appreciate the change of scenery. He was eagerly chewing on his bit as he tore across the dry plains with everything he had. If not for Adora, but for the sheer thrill of running with no fences to restrain him.

The mountains were to their back as they tore through the valley, running on the path that had carved into the earth for them. It hadn’t rained in months, and the only colors in the valley right now was gold and brown. A few trees randomly placed among the gentle hilly plains had some green on them to spice up the scenery. There wasn't much cover from the sun that beat down from ahead. It wasn’t that hot out, not as hot as it usually was, but it was more difficult to bear when they were running out in the open like this with no shade. Sweat gathered in her skin underneath the brown leather she had been wearing.

She eventually saw a pile of broken wood wheels tossed to the side of the dirt road. That was the landmark she usually used to know that she was almost halfway to Thaymor. She saw some fresh prints in the dirt made from horseshoes, which she correctly assumed was from the horse Catra rode on. 

Her attention was stolen by the sound of someone whistling in the distance. She looked over and saw a dun horse running towards her, a lasso dragging behind it from its neck. Someone was riding on a bay gelding, desperately trying to catch up to the horse. Adora pulled the reins back in one hand and grabbed the lasso she had in the other. “Ready, Swifty?” She said as she swung the lasso around.

The lasso flew, and it caught the horse in its tracks. It snorted and slowed to a stop in defeat. She saw a branding on the horse’s neck just beneath its mane, with the letters ‘BM’ written into its fur. This wasn’t a wild horse, this belonged to someone. She waved to the person riding towards them, seeing relief on his face when he came close.

“Oh, thank you so much.” He panted as his horse slowed to a stop before them. He took his own lasso as Adora pulled her own from the horse’s neck. This boy didn’t have the slightest accent on his tongue, and his voice lacked the grizzle that most cowboys had. The horse he rode on was a handsome bay, probably a thoroughbred mix. His gaze was as gentle as his rider’s.

“Not a problem,” Adora said politely. She looked past him. He saw someone herding around a group of horses in the distance. “Did y’alls horses get loose?”

“Raiders.” He specified as he caught his breath. “We just caught em trying to herd our horses to the auction yard, we’re trying to get them all home but… we’re kind of having trouble bringing them back.”

Adora glanced up at the sky to check the position of the sun. “Oh, well I can help.” Adora offered.

“You don’t have to, really.”

“It won’t be a problem,” Adora insisted. She turned Swift Wind to move beside him. “How far away is y’alls ranch?”

He turned around and pointed. “Just a few miles that way. Not too far, I don’t think. Brightmoon Ranch, you’ve heard of it?”

“Oh, that’ll be no problem at all!” Adora repeated. She had heard of them before. They weren’t as big as Hordak’s empire was, but the two ranches had had some disputes over feeding pastures before. This would only be a minor detour. Catra would probably be home by the time she’d get these people’s horses back where they belonged, but that was fine. It wouldn’t hurt to have her wait a little bit so long as she was helping people.

“Thank you so much,” He bowed his head politely as his horse caught up with her’s, the lassoed dun horse following behind them both. “What’s your name?”

“Adora. You?”

“Bow.” He pointed to the person riding atop a pale horse moving around the herd of horses keeping them in line. “My friend over there is Glimmer.”

Glimmer was sitting atop a glass-eyed perlino horse. It had the tail and head of an Arabian, yet it didn’t look like a purebred. There were around ten stock horses standing together in a group, all differing in color. She joined up with Adora and Bow, her forehead covered in sweat and exhaustion in her eyes. Her mare and Bow’s gelding sniffed each other as they were reunited.

“Howdy,” Adora said politely to her. “I think I can lend a helpin’ hand here. Y’all need help bringin’ y’alls horses back home?”

She gave Bow a look, to which he shrugged. “We don’t have a lot of cash to spare,” She said. “So if you’re looking for a reward…”

“No reward necessary, honest.” Adora nodded as she picked up the reins. “I don’t mind helpin’ out a stranger for free.”

“Alright…” Glimmer didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t want to waste any more time when she had a herd of anxious horses that needed to get moving. “Let’s just get them back before she finds out. I’ll set the pace, you two keep them in line.”

Glimmer moved to the front of the group, cracking a whip to get the horses moving. Adora and Bow urged the back of the group to move forward, keeping on both sides to push back any stragglers. This was like herding cattle, except the horses moved faster and were less stubborn. The horses eventually started moving at a canter, following after Glimmer as Bow and Adora barked commands at them from behind and from the sides.

The horses kept together fine after about ten minutes of running across the plains. Adora had gone in this direction a few times before, yet the area was still unfamiliar to her. She had been on a few cattle drives, and they drove the cattle right through Brightmoon land to start their trek to the north. Other than that, she never came up here. A stretch of the mountain and a receded river acted as the border marking Hordak’s land and Brightmoon land.

A weak river flowed miserably through the earth. “Wait!” Bow called out to Glimmer, noticing the horses licking dried lips as they glanced over at the water. “Let’s let them have a drink.”

“We don’t have time!” Glimmer cried impatiently as she looked up at the sky. The horses already stopped and started lapping desperately at the stream. She sighed in defeat and nodded. “Alright, but only a quick drink. Mama’s gonna _kill_ me when we get back…”

Bow led his horse over to Adora, patting the gelding’s neck praising him for the hard work he put in so far. “Water’s been hard to come by where we’re at. We—”

“Bow!?” Glimmer cried. “You gonna tell that to everyone we come across?”

“What?” Bow shrugged innocently. “We aren’t the only ones suffering ‘cuz of the Horde.”

“What do y’all mean?” Adora asked, nervously gripping Swift Wind’s reins. “I’m one of Hordak’s employees.”

“What?” Glimmer exclaimed with eyes narrowed, her horse stomping beneath her. 

“I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about. Honest!” Adora cried as she held her hands up, letting the reins fall to the horn of the saddle. “I swear, I just take care of the horses.”

Bow and Glimmer exchanged a glance. “Well…” It was Bow who spoke up. “Glimmer’s family owns a humble cattle ranch, yet the Horde’s cattle empire has been making things real hard for us. They’re controlling the water, the land…” His voice trailed off as he took his hat off his head and shook his head. “I don’t know if we can…”

“Okay, that’s enough.” Glimmer turned her horse around. “We’re almost home, let’s get these ponies home.”

* * *

“What do you mean you haven’t seen her?” Catra snapped as she climbed up the ladder of the barn and looked into the loft. Adora wasn’t here. The sun was starting to set, clouds gathering in the sky and obscuring the stars, and nobody knew where she was. Catra jumped down the ladder and rubbed her temples. Lonnie was looking in the empty stall where Swift Wind was usually kept. “Where’d you last see her?”

“She was tamin’ that bronco.”

“And she ain’t say where she was goin’?”

“No.”

“You made sure she didn’t just fall asleep in the pastures again?”

“Rogelio looked, she wasn’t out there.”

“ _Shit_ …” Catra hissed under her breath. The revolvers in her holsters were both already loaded. She led a horse out from its stall and threw a saddle over its back. “I’ll go see if I can find any sign of her. If you hear me fire, that means to send backup.” Catra mounted the horse and took off before she could hear an answer, she just had to hope Lonnie would follow her instructions. 

This wasn’t right. Adora never left the ranch on her own, and she especially would never leave without telling anybody. It wasn’t unreasonable for Catra’s mind to jump to the absolute worst case scenario. Swift Wind’s tracks were still fresh in the dirt, she knew Adora’s horse’s prints anywhere. Her eyes were glued to the ground as she made her horse run as fast as its legs could manage.

She gasped and pulled the reins back. “Whoa!” She commanded as the horse skidded to a halt. 

There were more tracks. She jumped off of the horse, kneeling low to the ground as she observed. Adora’s horse came to a halt right here, and two horses rode towards her and surrounded her from each side. They then made Adora go in that direction. Adora didn’t own any guns, so she most likely came out here unarmed like an idiot. If these people who surrounded her were armed, they would have forced Adora to follow them. She wouldn’t be stupid enough to try and outrun them if that were the case.

She jumped back on her horse’s back and continued after the tracks, moving at a cautious trot to avoid stepping over the evidence. There was suddenly a bunch of horse prints from a large herd of horses being herded. Catra narrowed her eyes, puzzled. Now she had no idea what was going on. Were they using the herd to cover their tracks? What were they doing? What were they doing with Adora? The prints continued north. Towards Brightmoon.

A growl rumbled in her chest as she grabbed the horse’s reins to keep them in place. She drew her revolver and fired into the air.

* * *

Brightmoon Ranch looked a lot different from Hordak’s land. It was a quaint place surrounded by trees, allowing the livestock to have a lot of shade. The barn and stable wasn’t big, neither was the house in the distance nestled between two tall oaks. It wasn’t obvious that they were struggling until Adora took a closer look. The fences were worn and hastily nailed back together, the cows licked the dirt with their dry tongues for the slightest ounce of moisture. 

The grass here wasn’t the best for the cattle, which was probably why they had so little meat on them. Hordak’s ranch had almost a thousand cattle, this ranch had only around two, maybe three hundred—if Adora’s vague estimate was correct. Hordak’s ranch had several dozen men and women working the ranch, herding the cattle, cleaning the horses, shoveling dung. But it really looked like it was just them two and maybe Glimmer’s mom that she mentioned. This was just a small family ranch, they weren’t a threat to their business at all. 

Cattle dogs barked to alert everyone on the land of their arrival. The horses came stampeding in, Glimmer galloping ahead to lead them into the paddocks. Glimmer and Bow clapped and cheered as the horses all filed into the paddocks, not a single colt or filly lost. Bow came in from behind and closed it shut once every one of them made it inside.

“We did it!” Bow exclaimed in relief. The two of them jumped down from their horses and hugged each other in celebration.

Glimmer looked over at Adora and she extended a hand. “C’mon, you helped, too.” Adora reluctantly stepped forward, Glimmer’s arm squeezing the air from her lungs as she hugged her tight. “Thank you so much! If we lost these horses, I don’t know what I would have…” She sighed and patted Adora’s arm. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem,” Adora said with a tip of her hat. She nervously scratched the back of her head as she looked over at the land. “It’s a damn shame what Hordak and Shadow Weaver are doin’ to y’all folk.”

“Yeah, well…” Glimmer glanced down. She couldn’t come up with any upsides, not even a lie for the sake of being polite. “You should get back to your own. Thanks again for the help. You’ll always find a friend here in Brightmoon, Adora.”

Adora nodded and started to turn. She stopped in her tracks and shook her head. “No, I wanna help y’all.” She said. “It ain’t fair that Hordak gets to sit in his house on the hill eating steak like a king while y’all are havin’ such a hard time. And with them rustlers… y’all need my help.”

“That’s great!” Bow almost jumped to pull her in for a welcoming hug until Glimmer stepped in and held an arm out, cutting him off.

“We don’t have much money,” Glimmer said. “Where you’re from, you’ll probably get better pay than here.”

“I’m aware,” Adora nodded. “Hordak’s got enough people workin for ‘em, you people need my help more than he does.”

Glimmer and Bow’s expression softened. She stepped forward and took Adora’s hand and shook it. Her hand weren’t as rough and hard as Adora’s were, they were soft and her shake lacked any real force behind it. The gesture was still no less genuine, though. “Welcome to Brightmoon, then, Adora.”

The thunderous blast of a shotgun firing caused them all to yelp in alarm and jump back. They turned around in the direction the blast came from. They saw several people on horseback standing at the end of the trail. A pit formed in Adora’s stomach. That was a lot of people, a lot of _armed_ people. She wasn’t sure what the three of them were going to do about all of them.

“Are those raiders seriously back?” Bow cried.

Adora watched as one of the riders began galloping towards them. Is that…

“Catra…?” Adora said quietly to herself. Bow and Glimmer looked at her confused. “Oh no! You two get inside, I’ll take care of her.”

“What’s going on?” Glimmer demanded. “Do you know her? Why’s she firing at us?”

“I’ll talk to her, don’t worry! She’s a friend!” Adora assured, panic in her voice as she mounted Swift Wind as quickly as she could, her foot almost getting caught in the saddle.

She turned Swift Wind around and they bolted towards Catra. Catra slowed to a stop when she saw Adora coming towards her. She waited for Adora to get close before she dismounted her horse and ran up to her. The moment Adora dismounted, Catra pulled her in for a hug. Adora was too confused by the situation to hug her back.

“Thank God!” Catra sighed into her shoulder as a purr rumbled in her chest. “I came back and I didn’t see you there, nobody knew where you were! I-I… I thought they was holdin’ you ransom or somethin’!” She stepped back and slicked her hair. She grabbed Adora’s arm and tried to lead her back to her horse. “Alright, let’s get home. Shadow Weaver’s blowin’ her top off.”

“Wait, Catra.” Adora’s hand slipped free from her grip. Catra stopped and looked at her, eyes wide in confusion. Her ears altered forward, ready to hear whatever she had to say. Adora had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it. “I’m stayin’ here.”

Catra’s tail went stiff and her pupils shrunk to thin slivers of black. “...What?”

“Hordak, Shadow Weaver, whoever it is, they’re ruining these people’s lives!” Adora explained, trying her damndest to get Catra to sympathize with her cause. “They’re cuttin off water, stealin’ land. Catra, we gotta help these people.”

“ _We_?”

“Yes.”

Catra’s chest bounced with a chuckle, but she didn’t find anything about this situation to be funny. “So you find two strangers, and you’ve known ‘em for a few hours and… what? You’re ready to ditch everythin’ for them?”

“You can come with me, Catra.” Adora said, reaching out to take her hand.

Catra sharply pulled her hand away, ears pinned. “That ain’t my point, Adora.” She growled. “Our plan was that we get enough money to move east and get the hell out of here. Did you just forget that or…?”

“We can still do that, I promise!” Adora stepped forward, Catra stepped back. “Catra, who’s gonna help these people?”

“Who’s gonna help _us_ , Adora?” Catra cried. “Huh?” She paused, waiting for an answer that she never got.

Adora sighed and turned her gaze down. “I’ve made my mind, Catra. I’m stayin’.” She said. She didn’t know what she wanted to hear Catra say, she really didn’t expect her to say anything. That didn’t mean it hurt any less when Catra silently turned and walked back to her horse. “Catra—”

Adora gasped when Catra smoothly pulled her revolver from her holster and fired it at her. Adora stiffened and her eyes were forced shut from the blast. She slowly opened her eyes, quickly realizing that Catra didn’t hit her. She looked down, seeing a hole in the ground right between her feet. She slowly reared her head up, bile climbing up her stomach and into her throat when she saw Catra’s revolver pointed right at her.

“You made up your mind,” Catra said. She gave the pistol a twirl before shoving it in its holster. “So have I.”

* * *

Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle were waiting outside of the barn toes tapping and fingers fiddling together. Rogelio growled and pointed ahead as the caravan had returned, led by Catra. Lonnie sighed in relief and wiped sweat off her forehead. Catra’s horse galloped in, coming at a hard stop and kicking up dirt under its hooves. Lonnie scanned the group that had gone with her. Adora wasn’t with them.

“Catra… what happened?” She demanded.

Catra dismounted her horse and shoved its reins into Kyle’s hands, her gaze fixed to the ground as her jaw was clenched tightly. “She ain’t comin’ back.” She growled, a vein popping on her neck as she breathed hard through her nose.

The mustang neighed and reared up behind her. Catra turned around, watching the mustang trot around in circles in the corral as a group of people were gathering around her. Catra’s tail thrashed and her ears pinned back. She turned hard to Lonnie, canines bared.

“Put a saddle on that mustang,” She ordered. “It’s time to break that horse.”


	4. Silver Storm

Catra shot at her. She never did that before. Up until now, Adora thought she would never do that. It was a warning shot, but that didn’t mean it hurt any less than if it flew right through her heart. 

Adora kept staring at the bullet between her feet. It was bent and crumpled up as it lay still in a hole it made in the ground. She could practically still feel its heat from the gunsmoke against her face, and the blast still rang in her ears. She looked at the bullet in the ground, hoping that the next time she’d blink it’d vanish into the air like a dream and she’d realize that none of this had even happened. She was going to look up and Catra was there, and none of this happened.

But Catra was walking away from her now. Her hat was covering her eyes as she mounted her horse and returned to the rescue party that she had brought with her. The ringing in her ears grew loud the further away Catra got from her. Her heart would usually tell her to get on her horse and ride after her, but she couldn’t even feel it beating in her chest. She felt only pain, and she felt nothing at the same time.

A hand touched her shoulder and two strong arms wrapped around her, yet she didn’t have the sense to react to the touch. She heard them talking, but it was blurred and muffled like her head was underwater. Bow’s fingers snapped in front of her eyes, which brought her out of her daze. She could hear the crickets chirping and nervous breathing of Bow and Glimmer now. She looked off in the direction Catra went. She didn’t hear the sound of horse hooves anymore. Catra was gone.

“Are you okay?” Bow cried as he frantically felt around Adora, making sure there weren’t any bullet holes. Adora silently nodded. “What happened?”

“Who was that?” Glimmer asked, almost demanding. “You said she was a friend, why’d she shoot at you?”

Adora’s mouth kept opening and closing. She didn’t have an answer to either of their questions, she was still trying to process what had just happened herself. Did that even happen? Was that real? Catra really shot at her? She really pointed her revolver at her? That was a thing that had just happened to her? 

Glimmer gasped and turned her attention to the house sitting a good distance away. The wooden door was kicked open and a tall woman came out in a dress, lantern in one hand and shotgun in the other. The sound made Adora’s body flinch, yet her mind was still elsewhere. 

“What is going on out here?” She cried. She placed the lantern down and rushed over to Glimmer with arms opened. “Oh, thank goodness…” She said softly. She looked over at Adora and narrowed her eyes. “Who is this? Is she the one shooting on my property?”

“I’m fine, Mama! Nothin’ happened!” Glimmer insisted as she begrudgingly embraced her mother back, nose wrinkled up. Glimmer looked over at Adora, hoping she’d have an explanation for what was going on. Adora’s lips were still quivering and her expression was blank.

“We’ve got a lot to talk about, ma’am.” Bow said as he stepped forward, hand on Adora’s back as he guided her forward. 

By the time Adora started walking, her senses started to return to her. “I… I’m sorry for all of this, ma’am.” Adora managed to say, a croak in her voice. Her voice was weak and faint, like she hadn’t spoken in years. “Catra… she’s a friend a’ mine.” Was that the right word? It didn’t feel right coming out of her mouth. “She and I got in a… it won’t happen again.”

“Adora helped us wrangle the horses back!” Glimmer spoke up the moment Adora finished her sentence. Misses Angella’s impression of Adora right now was not very good, she gathered. She didn’t see Adora helping with the horses or giving up everything (including her only friend) to help them, she saw her leading an angry stranger with a gun onto her land that put her daughter at risk. “She’s gonna help us through this season, she said. We could use another hand around here, right?”

Angella stopped in her tracks and stared hard at Glimmer. Her gaze could probably stop a raging bull in its tracks. “Glimmer,” She said. “Take these horses to the stables. We’ll talk when you get back.”

“Um… yes, ma’am.” Glimmer sighed, looking like she wanted to argue further, and took Swift Wind and Bow’s horse by the reins, her own horse obediently following behind her with ears nervously pinned back. 

Angella smoothed out her hair as she exhaled hard through her nose to steady her nerves before addressing Bow this time. “I want you to set up the spare room for our…  _ guest _ .”

“Yes, ma’am.” Bow nodded as he rushed past them, jogging up the dirt path leading to the house and clambering up the steps and running into the house. 

Adora was alone with her now. She gulped and nervously straightened her back, but she didn’t bring herself to look her in the eye. Angella walked over to the rocking chair and set her shotgun down, sitting down and crossing her legs. She gently rocked herself back and forth before gesturing to the open seat beside her. 

“Sit with me,” She said. She paused, trying to remember the name Glimmer had used for her. “What was it again?”

“Adora, ma’am.” She answered with a stammer. She took her hat off and set it on her lap as she sat down on the open chair. She fumbled with the brown Stetson had in her hands. “Look I… I truly am sorry. Catra isn’t a threat to your business, she ain’t a violent person. She and I just were arguing and… and I won’t let her come onto your land like that again.”

“I don’t care about damages to the land, the business. I care about my daughter.” Angella answered. She wasn’t looking at Adora when she spoke. She looked over at the corral where the branded horses stood together, now relaxed after the commotion that had just occurred. She looked at the cattle in the corrals, hundreds of brown and black beasts resting under the stars. “My daughter wants you to stay with us, to work with us. You’re a hard worker, I can tell. I don’t doubt that. But I can’t say that I trust you will keep my daughter safe. If this friend of yours, if you keep attracting danger to my home then I don’t think I can allow you to stay.”

“I’ll keep her safe, ma’am, I promise!” Adora didn’t mean to sound as desperate and panicked as she did. If she couldn’t stay here, where would she go? Back to Hordak’s ranch? How was she supposed to look Catra in the eye again?

Angella went quiet again, and that made her more paranoid. She was hopefully considering letting Adora stay. Glimmer was jogging back by now, trying to get out of the darkness as quick as possible.. Adora saw her tense up when she saw her mom and Adora sitting together. She picked up the pace to get to them quicker. 

“ _ So _ … how’re things?” Glimmer asked in an awkward tone.

Angella rose and dusted off her dress. “Let’s go inside now.” Was all that she said before leading the two inside. “We can discuss this tomorrow. Right now I’m tired, and I want to go back to bed.”

Adora had a lot of things running through her mind. Right now, all that she was thinking about was how she had never really been a guest in someone else’s home before. She and Catra would ride up to Shadow Weaver’s house and hand in their rent, but it wasn’t the same. She and Catra snuck into Hordak’s house once when they were younger to steal from the wine cellar in his basement. His house had a lot of animal heads and pelts hanging from the wall (none of which he killed himself). They went to his house a second time when Shadow Weaver made them pay him back and apologize in person.

This house was quaint, that was the best way to describe it. It wasn’t overly-decorated the way Hordak’s house was, with all the animal heads and relics and junk. There were family portraits hanging from the wall, a worn painting of two sparring stallions above the fireplace. The wood planks beneath their feet groaned and creaked from their weight, and the roof howled when a strong breeze blew by.

Glimmer took her by the arm before she could observe the other half of the house and led her down a hall. “I’ll take you to your room,” She said, starting to sound drowsy. 

Adora blinked. “My room?”

“Yes… your room.” Glimmer looked at her to see if she was joking. “Why’s that so weird?”

“I ain’t never had my own room before,” Adora admitted nervously as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Me and Catra, we just slept in the loft of the barn or out in the field.”

The mention of her name felt like a knife to the chest, but Glimmer was quick to distract her. “Well it ain’t much, but I hope this is better than a dirty barn loft.”

The bedroom wasn’t large, but it was more than anything Adora had ever had to call her own in her entire life. It was almost completely empty, with only a writing desk to the far side and a blanket with a deer-skin blanket neatly folded on top of it. Moonlight shining through the window was the only source of light. It was hard to feel excited over sleeping in a real bed for the first time in her life, when she knew Catra was going to be sleeping alone in the loft tonight.

Adora snapped back to attention and dipped her head politely to them. “Thank you all…” She said in a low mumble. “I mean it, thank you. You’re all very kind.”

The both of them seemed to sense that Adora wasn’t in the best mood and started stepping towards their own rooms to give her some air. “Our rooms are right down here if you need anythin’, alright?” Glimmer offered.

“Goodnight, Adora.” Bow added.

Adora silently nodded to them both and stepped into her own room, slowly pulling the door in behind her. She felt their movement through the wall and faint vibration from their voices, yet she had never felt more alone as she sat down on the bed, the bed squeaking from the sudden weight pressing upon it.

She didn’t have a wink of drowsiness in her eyes. How was she supposed to sleep? What was the point when she’d wake up knowing that Catra wouldn’t be with her when she woke up? She wanted to be optimistic, she wanted to tell herself this was another one of their little arguments, and after a long night’s rest things would be back to normal. That feeling in her gut, that feeling she wished this time was wrong, kept telling her it wasn’t the case this time.

They’ve known each other their entire lives, something like this shouldn’t mean the end of everything they ever had. If she rode on Swift Wind and went back to Hordak’s ranch looking for her, what would she do? What would she say? What if next time Catra didn’t miss her shot? Did the warning shot she fired mean to never come back?  _ Ever _ ? Did she really mean that, or was it a spur of the moment thing?

She got off of the bed and walked over to the window, resting her elbows on the wall as she looked out at the sky. She gazed longingly up at the moon, and the moon gazed back. She and Catra used to look up at the full moon together. And now she started to cry. She pressed her back to the ground and slowly slid down, rubbing her eyes to stop the tears from flowing. She quickly gave up the effort and let them flow.

She tried to be as quiet as she could, she didn’t want Bow and Glimmer hearing. Her chest bounced as she lost control of her breathing. She covered her eyes with her arm, lip quivering and eyes burning from the salt of her tears. When was the last time she ever cried like this in her life? She felt so stupid and pathetic.

“Damn it…” She croaked through an uneven breath. “What the hell have I done?”

* * *

The loft of the barn where she and Adora slept for their entire lives felt like a foreign place now. It felt much bigger now. She was exhausted, yet she couldn’t bring herself to sleep. She kicked open the loft doors and looked out, hoping the song of the wolves and crickets would distract her enough to lul her to sleep.

Her tail drooped behind her, laying limp against the floor as it gently sweeped back and forth, pushing the straws of hay away. She didn’t stop thinking about Adora, she wanted to stop thinking about Adora. Just for tonight, she wanted to stop thinking about her so she could get some sleep. She still had work in the morning, the world didn’t stop turning just because Adora wasn’t here anymore… but it felt like it did.

She felt something batting at her tail and she flinched at the touch. She whipped around, watching as the one tortoiseshell barn cat was batting at her tail like it was a mouse. It was a skinny thing. The barn cats lived off of pests they’d find around the ranch, or maybe scraps from the worker’s food if they were generous enough. They weren’t pets, none of them even had names. They only came up to people if they had food for them.

“Hi…” Catra reached a hand out to the cat. It sniffed her hand before bumping its head against her knuckles. She scooped the cat up and gently brought it onto her lap, her fingers massaging behind the cat’s ears as it let out a purr. “At least you’re still here, right?”

The cat started batting at the red neckerchief hanging from Catra’s neck, raking its claws along it and chewing on it. Catra sighed and just let them go at it. “Ain’t you hear? Adora ain’t comin’ back. It’s just me now. Who’s gonna give you lunchmeat now, huh?”

The cat rolled on its back and started licking its paws. Catra was cradling the thing in her arms like it was a baby now. She let out a long groan and pressed her shoulder against the frame. She wanted Adora back. She wouldn’t say it aloud, not even to this cat, but it was true. She was still angry. Whenever she thought about what happened too much, her pulse quickened and became hot. But most of her anger washed away and was replaced with regret and guilt.

“So that’s it, huh?” She said her thoughts aloud to the barn cat. “She’s just… not comin’ back. How many years we grew up together? All that just…” She picked up some straws of hay and let it fall to the ground below. “ _ Nothin’ _ .”

What was she supposed to do now? Catra only stayed on this ranch so she and Adora could save up money and move somewhere else together. Catra never cared where, she just wanted to be with her. Now Adora left her, what reason did she have for staying? Aside from, of course, the fact that she didn’t have enough money in the bank to go anywhere else. All her money went to paying rent and buying food, and sometimes even supplies for work if something broke. It wasn’t like Hordak spared a dime to fix his own damn equipment. 

“Y’know what bugs me the most?” Catra said, looking down at the cat. It pawed at her hand, urging her to continue rubbing behind its ears. “It was so  _ easy _ for her. She wasn’t with them for a day, and she was just… so quick to leave everythin’ behind and stay with ‘em.”

Her lip started quivering pathetically as a sudden, terrible thought came to her mind. If Catra didn’t think to send a rescue party after her, if Catra just stayed at home assuming Adora was fine… would she have come back? Would she even remember to tell Catra where she was going, and that their plans have changed? 

Their plan to leave, did that ever matter to her? Did she just agree to move away with Catra because, well, it was either that or live the rest of her life on this damn ranch? Now that she  _ does _ have someone else, Catra just doesn’t matter as much anymore? Her new plan to ‘help’ the Brightmoon Ranch, did Catra have a place in that?

The anger in her heart that had initially made room for guilt had returned. “Y’know what? This is a good thing.” Catra said with an amused snicker. “She showed her true colors. She doesn’t care ‘bout me? Fine, I don’t care about her. I don’t need her. I’m movin’ east without her. She ain’t my problem no more.”   


* * *

A cold bit was forced between the mustang’s teeth and rested over her tongue, and a heavy saddle was thrown onto her sweat-covered back and wrapped around her belly. She saw shapes moving into her blind spot, several hairless hands reaching out and grabbing her. It was such an unnatural feeling, it was wrong and terrifying. She swung her head and stomped the ground with her powerful hooves in protest. 

Catra’s chest rose and fell with deep breaths as she stood on the other side of the fence. The nameless mustang had been moved to a larger corral now, the large rectangle-shaped one in the center where everyone can witness the display. 

She took her hat off of her head and handed it to Lonnie, who was standing behind her. “Watch this for me,” She said before gathering her hair and tying it up so it wouldn’t get in her face.

“Are you… sure you wanna do this?” Lonnie tensed up as she watched the mustang fight against the men restraining her by rope. She looked more like a rabid wolf than a horse. “Not even Adora thought it was a good idea to ride her—”

“Well Adora isn’t  _ here _ is she?” Catra snapped back, a growl erupting in her chest as she bared her canines. She ran her hand over her hair and turned to face the corral. She pulled her whip from her side and smacked it against her thigh. This wasn’t going to be an easy fight, but she was ready for a damn good one.

She climbed the fence and jumped onto the horse’s back. Once her hands were on the rein and she was seated in the saddle, the mare took flight. She moved with the quickness of lightning and rage of thunder, leaping high among the clouds. She ran in circles, arching her back and kicking out with her powerful hind legs. Large teeth gnashed at the silver bit in her teeth and head swung in a primal matter.

Catra’s upper-body was lurched back and forth from the force of the mustang’s strong bucks. The skin on her palms was starting to be ripped by friction against the reins. She whipped the horse’s hind a few times before the force of one of the mare’s bucks sent the whip flying from her hand. Now it was just a fight to stay on and keep from being launched into the air.

Rider and horse, both had rage inside of them. Losing was not on either of their minds that day. 

Catra pulled back in the reins. “ _ Back _ !” She commanded. The mare tried to resist the bit pulling back in her mouth, but she was eventually forced into a halt. The mare swung her head and reared up, forelegs swinging in the air. Catra gasped and leaned forward, desperate to hold on. The mare was losing balance, Catra could feel it.

The mare fell back onto the ground, bringing Catra down with her. Her shoulder hit the ground hard first. It remained in its socket from pure luck alone. She clenched her teeth hard to fight the urge to cry out in agony, blindly reaching with her free hand and grabbing the horse’s mane. The horse stood up, and Catra pulled herself back onto the horse’s back with them. She heard the others shouting at her, either cheering her on or urging her to give up. Catra ignored both. She wasn’t doing it for any of them, she didn’t need to listen to them.

The mare snorted in frustration and shook her head, annoyed that this damn rider didn’t give up yet. She jumped in the air and made a hard plunge downward, causing Catra’s body to lurch forward hard. She ran in tight circles as she kicked her legs out. Catra’s eyes weren’t even open at this point, it was hard to when her body was thrown around like a ragdoll. It was just as difficult to breathe when air kept getting forced out of her lungs every single buck.

The mare was tiring out now. Her jumps didn’t have much air to them, and her kicks lacked the vigor they did at the start. She slowly stopped in the center of the corral, her legs quivering and buckling from her weight as well as Catra’s, her chest expanding and falling with heavy breaths. Catra panted hard, their breathing almost in sync now. The mare gave one last kick before hanging her head in defeat.

Catra’s head hung between her shoulders as she regained lost air that had been forced out of her lungs. Her hair had been freed from its ponytail, and it now draped over her and shielded her from the sun. She licked her lips and swallowed hard before opening her eyes. The mare’s head turned, her right eye facing her. The two locked gazes for a moment, just a moment.

All this time they were angry, desperately fighting one another to prove something. They were fighting the same battle, actually. It just took Catra just now to realize that fact. Just like her, this mustang had lost everything. Her herd, her freedom. She wasn’t sure if she was going to get those things back, yet she fought against Catra anyway. She fought for the sake of her pride and honor, and Catra had nothing but respect for that.

Catra had lost everything, too. It wasn’t like she had much to lose, anyway. Somehow when they met each other’s gazes, they understood one another. She wasn’t sure if the horse had read her mind, or if she read the horse’s. The mustang had lost her family, her freedom. And Catra…

She reached a hand out and patted the mare’s strong neck. “Silver Storm…” She breathed. “That’s what I’m gonna call you, alright?” Storm nickered.

They were going to fight for what they had lost. Together.


	5. The Cat With No Name

Adora was a bit difficult to wake up that morning, which wasn’t typical for her. She was usually good at waking herself up bright and early before sunlight even touched the horizon. Bow had to knock on her door to get her up, but she slept right through that. Glimmer was the one who brought her breakfast into her room, which Adora only finished for the sake of being polite. She felt like there was a rock was sitting in her stomach, she hardly had an appetite.

Adora didn’t mind getting back to work, despite all the weight on her shoulders and twisting in her gut. She always did ranch work whenever she had stuff weighing on her mind. She just needed to sweat out her troubles by herding cattle and shoveling bales of hay, that’s all that she needed right now.

They mounted their horses and drove the cattle from the sorting pens hours before sunup. This job was slow, considering they had to move hundreds of stubborn cattle in an orderly manner. Hundreds of cattle and their calves were lowing into the sky as the sun slowly started to rise. Adora and Bow kept to the back and sides while Glimmer led the cattle at the front. 

Adora found herself with her head hung low and her gaze falling to the back of Swift Wind’s back, blankly watching him bob up and down as he moved along at a generous pace. Her mind was blank. She had so much to think about, that the only thing that popped in her head was lonesome nothingness. The collective stomping of hooves and lowing of cows was becoming white noise fading into the back of her mind.

“ _ Adora _ !” Bow shouted from the other side of the herd. Her head snapped up, watching as a bunch of cows started to diverge from the herd. Swift Wind galloped ahead of them, guiding them with his body back into the herd. Adora sighed and kept beside them so they wouldn’t try it again. “Adora, you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine!” She assured as she waved over to him. She looked forward and kept Swift Wind moving at a trot to pretend like she was completely focused on her work. She could still feel his concerned gaze boring into her from all the way on the other side of the herd. 

By the time the sun rose, the cattle had successfully been delivered to their feeding pastures. Adora started trailing behind again as Glimmer rode back to rejoin with them. She faintly heard Glimmer and Bow mumbling to each other before dismounting their horses and walking over to her. Adora closed her eyes and bit her lip. She knew what they were going to ask, but she didn’t want to hear it.

“Adora, is something wrong?” Glimmer asked. They knew something  _ was _ wrong, obviously. They knew it had something to do with Catra, but they were still fuzzy on the details of what went down the night before.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Adora forced a smile but couldn’t force an upbeat tone in her voice, resulting in an unsubtle crack in her voice as she turned Swift Wind around. “C’mon, let’s see if Missus Angella needs help with the other animals.”

A lasso was tossed over her chest and sharply tugged at her chest, yanking her off of Swift Wind’s back. She fell with a hard thud on her back as the wind was knocked out of her. Glimmer was laughing while Bow held the lasso in his hands. She wriggled out and threw it over her head with a huff.

“C’mon, let’s talk for a bit before we head back.” Bow walked over to Adora and took her hand, pulling her up to her feet and guiding her over to a tree to sit in some shade as the heat started to settle in.

Swift Wind mingled with the other horses, Arrow and Enchanta, while their riders talked. Arrow and Enchanta were always glued at the hip when they weren’t being ridden. Swift Wind kept a short distance away, his back turned to them as he grazed on the grass. Arrow trotted up to him with his tail high, nipping at his mane and whinnying as he offered to play. Swift Wind only snorted and swished his tail at him. 

Adora laid on her back and looked up at the sky. There was no use trying to get up and fight against them, they’d just lasso her like a steer again. “I just… don’t know what I’m gonna do,” She said. “Catra wants one thing, I want something else. It’s just… I don’t know.”

“You two are real close, huh?” Glimmer said as she picked at the grass.

“We’ve only known each other our entire lives,” Adora mumbled.

“Then this ain’t the end of the world!” Bow assured as he gave her a playful shove of her shoulder. 

Adora blinked up at him. “You think?”

“Well, sure!” Bow lay down beside her so he wouldn’t have to keep craning his neck down to make eye-contact. “Give her some time to cool off, let her think it over. Then when you two meet up you both can just talk it over.

That sounded like a stupidly obvious solution to her problems, Adora wasn’t sure why she didn’t even consider that. Her worries immediately washed away and her eyes brightened up after hearing that. Maybe that’s what she needed, to hear someone assure her that everything was going to be alright in the end.

“Thanks, Bow.” She smiled over at him. 

“Something similar happened in my family, kind if.” Bow said. Adora perked her ear, eager for a good story. “My dads absolutely didn’t want me to move west, they thought that I’d get shot the moment I stepped off the train. They were upset, but it was ‘cuz they cared. They came to understand eventually.”

“Yeah, Bow’s a city-slicker.” Glimmer snickered upon seeing the look on Adora’s face, faking a thick country accent as she spoke.

“Oh, you’re one to talk.” Bow scoffed humorously.

“Oh, that doesn’t count! I left the academy when I was, like,  _ ten _ .”

Adora glanced between them with a confused look. “What are we talking about?”

“Well, my dad wanted me to get an education so he sent me to some academy when I was little.” Glimmer elaborated. “My mom brought me back when he got pneumonia, and I’ve been helping her ‘round the place ever since.”

Adora frowned empathetically. “I’m sorry to hear.”

“It’s fine, it was a long time ago.” Glimmer assured her with a shrug. She chose to return the subject back onto Adora. “You’ve never had parents, though. Is that right?”

“Yep,” Adora wasn’t exactly somberful about that fact. Since she never knew her parents, it felt almost pointless to dwell on them. That was just another distraction to keep her from focusing on important stuff like work. She never saw a reason to fantasize about what they were like, or what her life would be like if she knew them. “Ah, but don’t worry about it. I grew up fine, ain’t I?” She turned to Bow. “So why’d you move west?”

Bow made noise as he tried to string the right words together. “Just… to find myself, I guess.” He shrugged, not confident in his wording. “I wanted to make something of myself, I didn’t wanna work in a factory like my dads or do what my brothers did. I wanted to make my own mark.”

“I get that.” Adora nodded along with him. 

“What was growing up with Catra like?” Glimmer asked. Hearing her name was less painful now, somehow. It felt less hard for Adora to answer her question now than it would have had she asked before.

“Fun,” She answered pretty quickly. That was the best way to describe it. Their lives weren’t easy, they were both orphans struggling to get by. But with each other, it felt less like they were living solely to survive. “When we weren’t working we’d go for rides together. We’d get into trouble sometimes… well, a  _ lot _ . It was a wonder why Hordak didn’t fire us after some of the stuff we pulled.”

There was that tick in the back of Adora’s mind acting up, telling her that she wasn’t working enough and she was slacking off. She picked her head up and looked over at their horses, the three of them grazing together in the grass. “Shouldn’t we head back?” She asked.

Glimmer looked up at the sky and sighed. It was tempting to just stay here and keep talking, but she was right. They still had a lot of work left to do. “Yeah, we better start riding back.”

Glimmer gave their cattle one last look before the three of them mounted up and rode back down the way they came. Swift Wind’s head was higher and his gait had more life to him now. Adora was quickly getting a feel of the land now, and she was gracious for the amount of shade that was provided by all of the trees out.

She tensed up when the thought of having to talk to Glimmer’s mom flashed in her mind. That woman was terrifying, even if she wasn’t loud or hostile the way Shadow Weaver was. Something about her presence made Adora tense up. So far, she probably was making a piss-poor impression on her. She promised to work hard, yet so far she was getting distracted and having a hard time waking up. This was only her first day, she knew that, but she couldn’t help but feel like she was only being kept around for Glimmer’s sake.

“Hey, Glimmer?” Adora asked over the sound of horse hooves. “Is your ma uh… mad at me?”

“Why would she be mad?”

“Um… everythin’?” Adora shrugged.

“She’s probably just paranoid, she always is.” Glimmer gave her a dismissive wave. She moved Enchanta so she could be closer to Adora. “She does  _ not _ like it out here, let me tell you. Well maybe she used to, but after Dad passed away she changed her tune. She wants to keep the land for his memory, but she thinks that a raider is gonna ride in and cook my bones for dinner or somethin’.”

“That could happen,” Adora said. She wasn’t literally referring to cannibal raiders, she meant the fact that raiders were a real and present danger out here. “But I like it out here. Away from people and out with nature, that’s where I fit in best.”

“Me too,” Glimmer’s face fell and she let out a heavy sigh. “But if this year’s cattle drive doesn’t go to plan… we may have to sell the place and leave.”

Adora’s heart sunk hard like a rock. She could have sworn Bow mentioned that before, but she forgot about that detail. She left Hordak’s ranch to help these people, but what if one day they don’t have a ranch for her to even help out with? What then? And if she didn’t make up with Catra, where would she go? She wouldn’t be able to go back to Hordak’s ranch if she and Catra didn’t get along or—heaven forbid—she wasn’t there anymore.

Maybe she was being too selfish in thinking about herself in this scenario, and she was thinking ahead and coming up with possible scenarios that may not even happen. This wasn’t about her, this was about Glimmer and Bow and their livelihood.

“I won’t let that happen,” Adora said in confidence. “I promise you, Glimmer.”

Glimmer managed a weak smile. "You can't promise that Adora," She said softly. "But... thank you."

* * *

Hordak was taking his sweet time counting each dollar Catra handed him for this month’s rent. She had nothing else to do but stand there and wait for him to be done. It wasn’t often that he’d mingle with the commoners; he spends most of his time holed up in his house about a mile away by the river. She had no idea what he does, that is if he does anything other than sit at his desk and mumble to himself.

She impatiently tapped her leather boots as he looked around his office. A large longhorn bull’s head was hanging right over his head in the wall behind him, staring off with its lifeless gaze. Animal pelts from cows and wild animals hung on the walls, along with landscape paintings and framed papers that she had no idea the importance of. There was a picture of him and his older brother standing in front of the property framed and resting on his desk. 

The only time she ever came to his house was to drop off her rent, that’s it. Sometimes Shadow Weaver handled that stuff, but he preferred to handle the money himself. This house felt so uncomfortable to be in. She felt like a ghost was going to melt through the walls if she stayed here for too long. Hordak himself looked like a ghost, all pale and lanky. 

He plucked a couple of bills and handed it to her before shoving the rest in a safe below his desk. “There,” He said in a low grumble of a voice. 

She stared down at the money he handed her and gulped. This was all that she had left, she didn’t have a single extra cent in the bank. “Sir,” She hated calling him that, but she had to if she hoped to try and get pity out of this skinny old man. “I’m goin’ t’need an increase in my pay. Can’t you just–”

“Go on, your business is done here.” He waved his hand dismissively at her. She had to clench her jaw to suppress the urge to growl in anger at him interrupting her.

“Sir,” She put more firmness in her voice this time. “I won’t be able to pay to have a place to stay and afford food for much longer.”

She didn’t see why she even needed to pay to sleep in a barn anyway, that was like making a street dog pay to sleep in a trash bin. It wasn’t like he provided her with a bed or food or anything. The blanket she and Adora slept with their entire lives? They had to steal that so they wouldn’t freeze in their sleep. She’d sleep in the hotel in the next down over if she could, but she couldn’t afford that on this salary. Hordak said that he was offering his land to her, and that alone was worth paying rent. 

“Find somewhere else to live, chase a mouse if you’re hungry.” He grumbled, not even looking at her as he spoke. He was reading some letter laying out on his desk. Catra couldn’t make out a single letter that was written there, it was all in fancy cursive like the words weren’t meant to even be read. “I ain’t a charity, you’re here to work. Your problems ain’t my problem.”

As if the universe wanted to further test Catra’s patience, Shadow Weaver burst into the room. She started with something, but Hordak slammed a fist on his desk and growled in anger, interrupting her. Catra flinched, but she brushed her hair back and tried to pretend that the noise didn’t startle her. 

“How many times I gotta tell you?” He roared. “Knock the damn door before coming in, ain’t you see I’m busy?”

“What are you doing here?” Shadow Weaver demanded as she stormed over to Catra, completely ignoring what he had just said to her. 

“What’s it look like?” Catra shoved her back when her face got too close to hers. Shadow Weaver never liked Catra specifically, for reasons that she never understood. But when she raised her voice at her like this, it was usually when she did something wrong. Even then, she held back because Adora was with her. But this time, Catra was legitimately confused as to what she did to piss her off.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t fire you right now!” Shadow Weaver’s voice was so erratic, it was almost jarring to hear her talking like this. She was always so calm and collected, even among her dirty and rowdy employees. 

“Fire me?” Catra echoed in exclamation.

“Hold on now,” Hordak held a hand up to silence the both of them. “What did Miss Catra do, ma’am? Care to explain?”

“I was about to ask the same thing, Old Man.” Catra’s tail swished as she almost bared her teeth and hissed at Shadow Weaver. She was genuinely puzzled, combing through her memories to try and figure out what she was talking about. What did she even do recently that warranted getting fired?

“It’s because of  _ her _ that we lost Adora,” Shadow Weaver shouted, pointing a long finger in Catra’s face, which she smacked away. Mention of that name caused the fur on her tail to stand on end. 

“Oh, don’t start with that.” Catra rolled her eyes and turned away from her. “She left and joined that no-good ranch Brightmoon, I had nothing to do with that. She did that all on her own.”

Hordak rubbed his temples as a headache quickly formed. “I do not see why this is worth my time,” He said. “Adora is no longer working for us, then she is no longer our concern. Catra, you were seeing yourself out?”

She was absolutely not done arguing with Hordak over her salary, but she wasn’t going to spend another minute in the same room as that woman. “Yes… I was,” She growled. She shoved Shadow Weaver with her elbow before swinging the door open and slamming it behind her.

She still heard the two arguing through the walls, but she angled her ears away so she wouldn’t have to listen. Hordak’s terrier scampered after Catra’s ankles, yapping at her and nipping at her boots. She gave the dog a harsh shove away from her with her boot as she approached the front door.

Catra kicked the front door open and stormed outside. Her mustang, Storm, was grazing the grass with her reins tied to the porch. The mare nickered and raised her head, ears turned forward. “C’mon,” She grumbled as she mounted Storm and took her reins. “I needa get outta here.”

Storm was happy to oblige, since she hated this place as much as Catra did. She galloped as fast as she could to put as much distance between them and the ranch as possible. “Can you believe her?” Catra groaned. Storm wasn’t much of a talker, but her ear altered towards her as though she were listening. “What makes her think  _ I _ had somethin’ to do with Adora leaving? If she wants to leave and go work for some run-down ranch, that’s her problem.”

They rode past the ranch and started down the dirt road leading to the town of Thaymor. She couldn’t bring herself to be here, at the ranch. She didn’t want to think of Adora, she didn’t want to keep feeling that stupid feeling that she felt when she passed by Swift Wind’s stall in the barn. Everyone was talking about Adora, asking why she left and where she went. And of course, everyone went straight to her to find answers. She didn’t have answers, and she didn’t want to be reminded of how powerless and useless she was right now.

There was so much noise at the ranch and inside of her head. She wanted quiet, she wanted to go away from it all. There was the Adora situation, then there was Shadow Weaver getting angry with her, then there was the fact that she was dirt broke, there was the fact that she was all alone and had no one to go to. So much was happening at once. There weren’t any breaks allowing her to regain her bearings, it was one thing after the other with no remorse from the universe.

For just an hour of her time, she wanted to be alone. She didn’t want to think about any of it. She wanted to sit in silence and pretend the sun bearing down on her was the only problem in the world. That may have been asking too much, it probably was.

It was then that she made Storm turn on the path and move in another direction, away from Thaymor. Too many people there knew her name. There was the postman and the bartender, that was too many people for her. She didn’t want anyone to recognize her, she wanted to be a ghost, a tumbleweed that no one paid any mind to.

There was a smaller town a good couple of miles further, one that she had forgotten the name of. She never rode this far out by herself, and that feeling was oddly liberating for once, rather than terrifying. There wasn’t anyone around for miles. There were just the rhythmic beats of Storm’s galloping hooves against the ground. Catra closed her eyes and marinated in the peace. When was she going to get this peace and quiet again?

The ferocious growl of her stomach broke the silence around her. That’s right, trying to forget all of her problems right now was asking too much. She spurred Storm and made her gallop faster. The town was just up ahead, she saw it in the distance. She forgot how small this place was, there weren’t as many buildings compared to Thaymor. She saw fences holding sheep and other livestock among the outskirts, and small stables where horses were kept.

She slowed Storm to a trot as they entered the dirt streets of the town. She didn’t recognize a single face here, and nobody turned to acknowledge her as she rode in. That’s exactly what she wanted. She felt like she could breathe now. She rode right towards the saloon, she didn’t know where else she was supposed to go. She wasn’t a habitual drinker, and in fact she didn’t like the kind of alcohol most cowboys drank. But it was a good distraction for now.

She dismounted Storm and tied her down to a post. The mare snorted upon realizing that Catra was going to be leaving her alone. “You behave, alright?” She said as she cupped the mare’s face and stroked her mane. “No bitin’ or kickin’ nobody ‘till I get back.” The mare snorted and pinned her ears back. She wasn’t going to make any promises.

Two people stumbled out of the saloon just as she stepped onto the wooden sidewalk cast in shade. One was just a person with a snake’s head, and the other was some sort of bug person with wings on his back. Catra put her hat down, casting a shadow over her eyes as she stepped towards them. She bumped hard into the bug person, causing him to stumble as her hands slipped into his pocket and smoothly guided it into her own.

She turned around quickly and tipped her hat to them. “Pardon me,” She didn’t do a good job at veiling the sarcasm in her voice. They just shook a fist at her and told her to watch where she was going before they both went on their way. Catra was tempted to check the wallet to see if there was actually anything in it, but she forced herself to keep acting natural until she arrived at the saloon doors.

She pushed the doors open. A few eyes turned to her briefly before everyone resumed what they were doing. Some men were playing poker on the round tables to her right, and others were playing darts on the wall. She kept her head down and walked over to the bar to avoid making eye contact.

She sat at the bar, letting her tail hang from the seat as she pulled the stranger’s wallet from her pocket. There were a good number of bills in here, she could get some drinks with this. There wasn’t much else of interest inside, though. She slid the bill over the counter, and a glass of whiskey found its way in her hand. She hated whiskey, but she didn’t want to get a sissy drink in front of all of these strangers.

She tried her best to keep a straight face as the nasty contents poured into her lips. The awful flavor and the burning sensation as it moved down her throat at least momentarily distracted her from the noise in her head. Instead, she was thinking about how much she regretted asking for a whiskey, and how she was dreading having to finish the rest that remained in her glass.

The saloon doors were kicked open and the snake and bug person stormed in. The snake-man flicked his tongue and stormed over to her. “Hey!” He barked. “You thought you was slick, huh?”

“Thought we wouldn’t notice?” His companion added. He threateningly reached for his knife, a threat that was sort of hollow for her considering the fact that Catra was brandishing two revolvers at her side.

She was a bit excited at the thought of putting her revolvers to work. Maybe this was what she needed to vent out all her frustrations. When Catra drew her revolvers, the snake-man drew his pistol. The attendees all bolted for the door and the bartender ducked behind the counter. The three of them were standing a good length apart from each other, weapons raised and hissing at one another.

“Woah, woah! Hold on, now!” Someone ran down the stairs in the back and scrambled over to them. Catra tried to keep her attention fixed on the two people in front of her, but that was hard to do when a massive venom-filled scorpion tail was suddenly waving around right next to her, practically right in her face.

“Who’s you think you is?” The snake-person hissed at her as the third party stepped in between the two of them, blocking them with her large frame. The bug person started backing away, intimidated by her massive pincers that could probably snip his head off without effort.

“What if we, maybe, all just took a deep breath and put these down?” Scorpia grabbed the snake-man’s pistol with her pincers. In an attempt to lower it, she ended up breaking the weapon with ease like it was made of paper and having it fall to the ground in pieces. “Oh, shoot! Sorry about that, hope it didn’t cost you too much. Let me—”

“ _ Watch it _ !” Catra hissed and jumped back when her tail swung around and just narrowly missed her.

“ _ So _ sorry, I apologize!” She whipped around to make sure she didn’t sting Catra, but was met with a hiss and a flash of her canines. “Yeah, it acts on reflex, really. You don’t wanna get on the sharp end, trust me. One sting, and—”

The snake-man suddenly shrieked in pain as the stinger jabbed into his shoulder. Everyone froze for a moment and sort of just watched in shock as he collapsed to the ground, body completely unconscious within seconds. His companion cried out and dragged him out of range, ducking to avoid being her second target.

“Stay away from us!” He snarled, throwing his companion’s limp body over his shoulder before hauling him out in a hurry. "You're gonna regret this, freaks!"

She and Catra just stood there for a moment, and a quivering bartender rose from behind the counter to see if the danger was gone yet. She had no idea what had just happened, but she wasn’t going to stick around here anymore. Catra grumbled and put her guns back in her holster before walking towards the door.

“Wh—Hey, hold up!” The scorpion-person followed after Catra, ducking under the door frame in order to fit. “Where are you goin’ in such a hurry, friend?”

“Friend?” Catra scoffed, stopping in place to turn and face her. She squinted up at her, ear flicking to shoo away a fly buzzing around them.

“Yeah well… here’s hoping, right?” She smiled down at her. Catra’s lip twitched and she turned to walk back to her horse, still being followed. “The name’s Scorpia, friend. What’s yours?”

“Nobody,” Catra muttered as she approached the mustang. Storm nickered when she saw Catra walking towards her and pinned her ears at the stranger that was following her.

“Well, nice to meet ya, Nobody!” Scorpia chuckled, humoring her. “That your horse? She looks mean.”

“That’s because she is,” Catra rolled her eyes. “I ain’t need your help back there,” She wasn’t sure why she felt the need to emphasize that to this person that she’d probably never see again. She just didn’t want this stranger thinking that they were some hero that stepped in and saved her. 

“Oh, I’m sure.” Scorpia said with a glance towards Catra’s holster. “But, y’know… the  _ law _ . So…”

“Why are you followin’ me?” Catra snapped as she put her hands on her hips. “Ain’t you got somewhere t’be?”

Scorpia’s bright expression fell. “Yeah, well…” She let out a heavy sigh. “I’m just… trying to figure out how to put food on the table right now. Helps to have a friend, right?”

Catra’s eyes widened and she felt something in her chest tighten. She frowned and averted her gaze downward. “Right… I’m tryin’ t’figure that out, too…” She said quietly. She saw a tall shadow moving towards her and she looked up, wrinkling her nose as she saw Scorpia standing over her with a look on her face. “Why you lookin’ at me like that?”

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Scorpia asked, slowly opening her arms inviting her for a hug. “You look like you wanna talk about it.”

Catra hissed and pushed her back. “No I ain’t gonna  _ talk _ about it!” She exclaimed.

“Well, maybe we can help each other!” Scorpia, despite her protests, scooped up Catra effortlessly and sat her down on the wooden sidewalk. Catra joined beside her, Catra tensing up as she saw her tail coiling up. “We’re both short on cash right? C’mon, let’s brainstorm. Where can the two of us find a job?”

“I can’t read or write,” Catra grumbled. She couldn’t look at her when she said that, feeling embarrassed about that fact. “How am I gonna get a job with that? A  _ good _ one, I mean. And I don’t have money to move nowhere else.”

Scorpia tapped her chin with her pincers. “Yeah, you’re in a bit of a pinch.”

Catra closed her eyes and groaned in agreement, her stomach growling as if to emphasize her point. The sound of a whip crack forced her eyes awake. She looked up and watched as several sheep were herded into pens at the auction yard by men on horseback. Catra had flashbacks to the night when Adora stopped her from raiding a cattle ranch with the others. At the time, she was so desperate to make money so that she and Adora could leave and be together. But she was willing to give that up for Adora’s sake, not her own. She didn’t even tell Adora because she knew that she’d be concerned for her safety.

The first thing that came to her mind at that moment was:  _ I can’t try that again, I made a promise to Adora _ . She narrowed her eyes and clenched her teeth behind closed lips. Why did everything always have to circle back to Adora? Why did she always have to do what  _ Adora _ told her to do? She wasn’t here now, she didn’t care what she had to think now. She never should have. Why should she keep her promise when Adora couldn’t keep hers?

A smirk stretched across her face and she looked over at Scorpia. They were big and strong, with her sheer presence alone scaring off those two men at the saloon. Her pincers could effortlessly break a pistol and her tail could knock someone out in seconds. Yeah, she was going to be keeping her around.

“Y’know what, Scorpia?”

“What is it, Miss Nobody?” Scorpia asked as she curiously leaned over.

Catra stood up, her hands falling to her hips as she let her tail raise confidently. “I think I have an idea on how we can make some cash.”


	6. Should've Been a Cowboy

Adora stepped over a small gaggle of chickens before walking into the horse stables. Swift Wind was already nickering and pawing at the stall door with his hoof as he saw her approaching with a bucket, assuming that there was feed inside. Once she walked up to his stall and he saw grooming supplies in the bucket instead of oats, his ears pinned back and he snorted with disappointment.

“Sorry buddy,” She chuckled and patted his side as she closed the stall door behind her. “If you be good, I’ll ask Glimmer to give you a sugarcube. How’s that sound?”

Swift Wind snorted and begrudgingly let her lift his hoof as she picked at it with her silver horse pick. She always cleaned his hooves first to get it out of the way. He hated getting his hooves cleaned, but was usually able to tolerate it for a few minutes and let Adora do what she needed to do. 

Adora had been living at Brightmoon Ranch for almost a week now, she finally adapted to the rhythm of things around here. It’s more quiet out here than on Hordak’s land. On his land there were dozens of workers, most of which were bitter and angry all of the time, barking orders or cursing up a storm. Bow and Glimmer felt more like friends than just coworkers. If she ever needed help they’d agree to with a polite smile, instead of shouting at her and throwing insults for not being able to do her job.

She was even warming up to Angella now. She wouldn’t tense up or stammer if she was in the same room as her anymore. Bow and Glimmer were doing their damndest to make this place feel like home to her, rather than another place that she had to work for. She appreciated their efforts, she did. The fact that they did so much just for her almost brought a tear in her eye.

But Catra hasn’t left her thoughts since she has seen her. Every time she took a nap with Bow and Glimmer under the shade of a tree or raced on their horses, she’d remember that Catra was all alone and miserable without her. After three days, she rode into Thaymor and asked locals if they had seen her around, and they all said no. She was debating whether or not she should ride back to Hordak’s land and check on her there.

Bow told her that she needs time, and if she’s ready to talk that she knew where to find her. But what if Catra was expecting it to be the other way around, where Adora came to her when she was ready? What if Catra was thinking that she didn’t care enough to come back to her? But what if she did come back and was welcomed by two loaded revolvers? 

Swift Wind jerking his hoof away from her snapped her out of her thoughts. She accidentally dug too deep with the pick and hurt him. She stroked his side and gently cooed to him. “Sorry, Swifty.” She said apologetically. “I ain’t mean it, okay? Lemme try again.”

She had already picked dirt clean from Swift Wind’s two front hooves when she heard Bow knocking on the stall door to get her attention. “You almost done in here?” He asked as he reached out to stroke the white blaze that ran between his eyes and down to his nose.

“I need t’clean his back legs and brush his coat,” Adora answered. “Why?”

“We’re heading out,” Glimmer answered from behind him, grabbing her saddle and bridle for Enchanta. “Mama wants us to thank a friend of ours for giving us food and supplies. You coming?”

“Sure.” Adora felt like even if she didn’t answer, she was going to come anyway. Bow’s horse Arrow started whinnying and bouncing in place. “What’s gotten into him?”

“He knows where we’re goin’.” Glimmer chuckled as Enchanta nibbled at her sleeve. “Miss Perfuma spoils that horse more than Bow does.”

“Wh– _ me _ ? I do not!” Bow exclaimed with a crack in his voice. Just as he said this, Arrow reached over the stall door and plucked a sugarcube from his pocket.

Adora tried to rush to pick the dirt from Swift Wind’s hooves, not wanting to keep them waiting on her for long. She tossed the pick into the bucket of grooming supplies and tossed his saddle on his back. “I’ll clean you when we get back,” She promised. She didn’t like the idea of Swift Wind running around covered in his own sweat all day, but they probably weren’t going to be out long anyway.

In about thirty minutes, the three of them mounted up and made their way out of the stables. Swift Wind was eagerly chewing at his bit and perking his ears up. He saw the dirt path carved by wagons and hooves laid out before him, leading all the way through the ranch and towards the gate. 

“Hey guys,” Adora spoke up in a challenging voice. “Wanna race to the front gate?”

She was speaking right to Glimmer’s competitive nature. Enchanta eagerly pawed at the ground beneath her and snorted in confidence. Arrow bounded over like an eager pony, joining beside the two of them. Swift Wind was almost smug the way he held his head high. He knew that he was fast, and he wanted to show it off to everyone. 

Bow started the count. “Three… two…” He paused to dramatics while his horse tensed his muscles beneath him. “ _ Now _ !”

Enchanta was the first to take off, but Swift Wind and Arrow quickly caught up to her. Twelve strong hooves pounded the earth and dug into the dirt as they broke into a gallop down the path. The path was wide enough for the three of them to ride comfortably side by side with each other. Enchanta wasn’t a big horse, but she was keeping up with Arrow and Swift Wind just fine. Arrow lacked the competitiveness of the horses on each side of him, he was just having fun running with his friends.

Swift Wind quickly started to outpace them, flipping his mane in confidence as he did so. Adora quickly glanced behind her as the distance between her and the others grew bigger and bigger. She laughed triumphantly and patted Swift Wind’s neck. “Eat my dust, cowpoke!”

The gate marking the finish line was drawing closer and closer. Swift Wind licked his lips as victory was nearing closer and closer. With one last burst of energy, he made it over the finish line first. Adora clapped her hands and laughed, Swift Wind running in a victory circle before waiting for the losers to catch up. 

Bow and Glimmer joined alongside her shortly after. Enchanta swung her head and stomped a hoof in the ground. Arrow was licking his lips, thinking it was a good race. “Nice of you to join us, partners!” Adora laughed as she smugly rode up beside them. 

“You was cheatin’!” Glimmer’s accent suddenly grew stronger as she reached out and smacked Adora’s hat so it covered her eyes. 

“You had a head start and you still lost!” Adora blindly waved her hand to try and get her back, only for her hand to swipe at air.

“Okay, we need a rematch when we get back,” Bow said as he patted Arrow’s neck.

“Y’all are a buncha sore losers,” Adora snickered as Swift Wind walked with a confident stride and carried his head high with pride. “Go ahead, y’all. Keep racin’ us, Swift Wind and I will win everytime.”

Glimmer smacked Adora’s hat again. “Keep tellin’ yourself that, partner.”

* * *

Perfuma was the heiress to Plumeria Ranch, a good ride away from Brightmoon. Her ranch was family-run like Glimmer’s but her family just happened to be way larger. Adora had heard of this ranch, but she never visited their land before. They had livestock, but cider apples were their specialty. Adora personally didn’t like cider apples (she didn’t know until Glimmer told her that they aren’t for eating), but apparently their orchard was a sight to behold. It probably wasn’t now what with the drought, but she took Glimmer’s word for it.

Even in this time of year when the land wasn’t at its prettiest, Adora could see that this land had some of the prettiest views around. The wildflowers covered the ground in colors she didn’t know flowers came in, and the plateaus surrounding the ranch looked like something out of a painting, especially with a majestic eagle soaring overhead. 

“Hold on, y’all.” Glimmer raised a hand, signalling for her companions behind her to stop. A wagon drawn by two draft horses was coming towards them from the other side of the road. She raised her hand and waved down the woman that was holding the reins. “There she is.”

Perfuma had one of those faces that some would say didn’t belong out here in the cruel and dangerous west. She definitely wasn’t the kind of person Adora was expecting to meet. She wasn’t sure what kind of face she had in mind, but this tall flower wasn’t it. She squealed and waved back, pulling the wagon to a halt once she got close enough. She jumped off the wagon and rushed right over to Glimmer, who had dismounted her horse to greet her.

“Aw, howdy, Glimmer!” She exclaimed, bending down to pull Glimmer in for a hug. “Shoot, if I’d known y’all were comin’ I woulda made the place a lil’ nicer.”

“It’s alright.” Glimmer stepped back and patted the bag that hung from Enchanta’s saddle. “Mama wanted me to give you this as a thank you.”

“Oh, I told her it wadn’t a problem!” Perfuma insisted for the sake of being polite, but she wasn’t about to refuse the gift. She turned her attention up to Adora and put her hands on her hips. “Who’s this now? C’mon now, introduce us.”

Adora flinched when the attention was suddenly brought onto her. Her mind was somewhere else while the two were talking and her eyes were looking beyond the mountains. She stammered like she was trying to remember her own name until Glimmer had answered for her. 

“This is Adora,” Glimmer said as she nodded over to her. “She’s new, she’s helpin’ us out at home.”

“What’s all that timber for, Perfuma?” Bow suddenly spoke up and nodded towards the wagon. Several fence posts were piled up in the back of the wagon. Adora didn’t even notice that.

Perfuma groaned, almost like she was stalling to avoid giving an actual answer. “Some rustlers… they broke onto our property early this morning. They destroyed our fences, set a fire that spooked our cattle, then they nabbed some a’ our sheep.”

“Sorry to hear,” Bow dipped his head sympathetically.

“We can help out a bit,” Glimmer offered. “You helped us when we were running low on feed, we can help you rebuild your fence.”

“Great!” Perfuma clapped her hands together. Glimmer blinked, taken back by how quickly she agreed to the idea. She was prepared for her to put up more of a protest against it. She turned to the person sitting on the wagon twiddling with his thumbs. “ _ Boy _ ! Go and bring that there wagon in! I’ll meet up.”

The four of them watched as the wagon turned into the gate and drove past them. Arrow started nickering and stretched his head out to nuzzle Perfuma. She giggled and stroked his muzzle. “Howdy, Arrow! Aw, it’s been a while since I seen you, huh?” She patted her pockets and frowned. “Sorry, buddy. I ain’t got sugarcubes. Mind if I ride with you, Bow?”

“Not at all,” He grabbed her hand and helped her up to the back of her saddle. Adora glanced over at Enchanta as she snorted and stomped her hoof. “Lead the way, miss.”

Bow led Arrow to the front of the group as they rode in. Several horses standing around in a paddock neighed in greeting to them as they rode past. Some workers that were handling livestock or hauling heavy sacks smiled and waved politely to them. Adora felt a bit guilty for not smiling back at them, she was just a bit taken back by all the eyes that were drawn their way. By the time she mustered the sense to raise her hand and wave back, they already rode past them.

“So what happened?” Adora asked as their horses slowed as they moved around the length of the barn. Perfuma said they broke the fence where the cows were, yet it was the sheep that got stolen. The pieces weren’t fitting together for her.

“Well,” Perfuma’s chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “It was late at night, and suddenly the bull and his cows broke loose.” She nodded to the dairy cows that were standing around in a temporary paddock. “He was buckin’ and chargin’ around all crazy. He was freaking out because them bastards started a fire in his pen! Once we got ‘em to calm down and put ‘em in the barn, my cousin o’er there said about half the sheep are gone.”

“So the cows getting loose was a distraction?” Bow said Adora’s thoughts out loud.

They dismounted their horses in the shade and walked over to the scene of the crime. The rustlers did a good number on the fence, and the raging bull and his storming cows probably helped finish the job. There were still prints on the ground where the bull went on his rampage. Adora knelt down on the ground at the fence post that was crushed like a bug.

“How the hell…” She muttered to herself. Her eyes were drawn to the sight of claw marks on one of the rails that were piled up to the side. Her eyes narrowed and she let her thumb trace over the marks.

“The number they did on the sheep pen wadn’t nearly as bad as this’n.” Perfuma talked with a frustrated huff at the damage at her feet. 

“Was the fire bad?” Glimmer asked. There was a patch of grass in the center of the pen that was burnt, but it didn’t seem to grow too out of hand.

“We put it out quick, yeah.” Perfuma nodded as she wiped sweat from her forehead, already looking worn before she even picked up a hammer. “I just feel like a fool. They took about two dozen of our flock, and we were over here putin’ out fires and tryin’ to tame that crazy bull.”

“It’s not your fault,” Bow assured as he put a hand on her shoulder. 

“Can we…” The words came out of Adora’s mouth before she even realized she was talking. She caught herself, but now all eyes were on her, so she figured she owed them her thoughts. “We can… try and get ‘em back for you…?” Her voice was wavering with uncertainty, and it wasn’t filling any of them with confidence.

Adora cleared her throat and stood up tall. “We’re gonna get your sheep back. If not, we’ll make them rustlers pay for what they did.”

She saw Glimmer shaking her head at her, but Perfuma was already rushing over to give Adora a hug. “Aw, shoot! That’d mean the world to me if you could!” She exclaimed. 

Bow stepped between them. “Uh… mind if we have a word?”

He pulled Adora aside into the shade. Glimmer was rubbing her temples and groaning at the predicament they were put in. “Adora…  _ why _ would you say that you’d find her sheep for her?” She asked, putting her hands together like she was praying. “How are you gonna do that?”

“What if they’re armed?” Bow added.

Adora was starting to regret this idea. When she was working with Hordak, they’d have to act as the law of the land and find the rustlers themselves and bring them to justice. Catra always went on these witch hunts because she was the best shot on the land, and Adora tagged along to make sure she didn’t get hurt. It slipped her mind that she didn’t have the numbers or resources back then.

But when she saw those claw marks on that fence rails, a nagging feeling in her gut told her that Catra made those marks. It probably wasn’t. There were thousands of rustlers out there that had claws and teeth that could have made those marks. She wanted to tell herself that Catra was still on Hordak’s land safe and sound, or at the saloon in Thaymor. But if her gut was right, then this was her first lead on where Catra could be, and she needed to follow it.

“I just think it’s the right thing to do,” Adora said firmly. “Y’all don’t have t’come if you think it’s too dangerous.”

Glimmer slapped her forehead and shook her forehead. “Of course we’re coming with you. We aren’t gonna let you throw yourself into danger like that by yourself.”

“ _ Buuut _ …” Bow interjected. “We aren’t armed, and chances are those rustlers are.”

“Y’all need guns?” Perfuma suddenly jumped in the middle of them, putting a shotgun in their arms like she was handing out candy. Adora wanted to ask where she got them and why she had loaded shotguns on the ready, but she thought it was best to not ask. “Y’all need anythin’ else?”

The three of them exchanged silent glances. Bow raised his hand. “I’d like some cider, actually.”

* * *

Catra let the sheep stop for a drink at a small river that cut through the land. Scorpia had been leading the herd onward while Catra kept the herd in line. It was the other way around when they first got the sheep moving, but Scorpia was doing a piss-poor job at keeping the sheep together. They had to switch after some of the sheep panicked and bolted at the sight of Catra’s tail, thinking it was a snake.

The sheep weren’t the first animals they had stolen today. Scorpia needed a horse, and Storm bucked and snorted if two people tried to get on her back. Catra took a dapple gray Shire from a wagon parked in town and they booked it out of there. They didn’t even try and find a saddle, Scorpia was riding bareback this entire time. The Shire was slow and heavy, and it wouldn’t make for a good cutting horse anytime soon. But it was better than nothing, and it’d get the job done for now.

Catra jumped off of Storm’s back and knelt down at the river, splashing water on her face as she let out a long groan. “Almost there…” She told herself as she pinned her ears back and set her hat back on her head. She looked over at Scorpia, who was trying to figure out an effective way to pet the Shire with her pincers. “Gettin’ the hang a’ that horse, Scorpia?” She called out.

“Oh, yeah!” Scorpia awkwardly patted the draft horse with the blunt end of her pincers. “I’m trying to think of a name for ‘em.”

“Don’t bother,” Catra grumbled. “We ain’t keepin’ it. Once we get some cash I’ll buy you a better horse.”

“Aw, do we gotta?” Scorpia pouted. “I’m feelin’ a real bond with this one, I tell ya! C’mon,  _ please _ ?”

Catra’s ear twitched in annoyance at the attempt at puppy-dog-eyes that she was giving her. She rolled her eyes and sighed in defeat. “Fine, whatever.” She said. “But if that thing slows us down, we’re dumping him.”

“Aw, thanks Catra.” Scorpia wrapped her arms around the large draft’s neck and hugged her. The large horse nickered and nipped at her white hair. “Welcome to the gang, buddy!”

The draft horse stretched its neck out and tried to sniff at Storm. She pinned her ears back and stomped her hoof. When the draft mare didn’t give her some space, Silver Storm spun around and tried to bite her, the draft mare backing up and yelping in surprise.

“Jeez, why’s your horse so mean?” Scorpia said as she tried to comfort her mare.

Catra thought it was kind of funny. The amused smirk on her face fell when her ears shot up. Her tail lashed as she turned around, growling in frustration as the sheep bleated so loud she could hardly hear. She turned to Scorpia and snapped her fingers. “Scorpia, get on yer horse.” She hissed. “Someone’s here. Stay low.”

She jumped onto Storm’s back and readied her revolvers. Three people on horseback were making their way towards her. She recognized these horses, especially the chestnut Quarter leading the charge. “Oh, you’ve gotta be kiddin’ me…” She growled under her breath.

“Uh… friend or foe?” Scorpia asked as she mounted the horse. 

Catra wasn’t going to answer that. “Just let me do the talkin’.”

The three horses coming in slowed to a stop a decent length away. “ _ Catra _ !” Hearing her name slip out of Adora’s tongue made the fur on her tail bristle. Seeing her face made her claws unsheathe and her pulse to grow hot. What the hell was she doing here? She was nowhere near Brightmoon, yet she somehow found her way nosing into her business.

“Howdy, Adora.” She taunted. She noticed Adora’s eyes wandering down to the horse she was sitting atop of. She snickered and stroked Silver Storm’s mane. “Recognize her? Yeah, Storm here’s been good to me. Unlike someone I know.”

Scorpia joined beside her, instead of keeping with the sheep like Catra assumed she was going to do. “You know these guys, Catra?”

Adora blinked and Swift Wind’s neck pulled in. “Who’s this?” She asked with a quiver in her voice as she looked past Catra and towards her companion.

Catra moved Storm in front of Scorpia. “Ain’t no business a’ yours!” She snapped. “Go on outta here, this don’t involve you! Ain’t you got that run-down ranch to worry about?”

“Those sheep aren’t yours!” Glimmer interjected, her glass-eyed perlino mare snorting and stomping as she moved forward. “Hand ‘em over to us and no one gets hurt.”

Catra turned her gaze back to Adora and chuckled. “What, you became a bounty hunter just to come find me? Wow, you’re obsessed.”

Glimmer raised her shotgun and pointed it at her. “Hey, I’m talkin’ to you!”

Adora gasped and grabbed the barrel of the gun and pointed it away. “Glimmer, don’t shoot!” She pleaded. She turned to Catra now, her tone softening. “Catra, you promised me you wouldn’t do this.”

She wasn’t doing this because she wanted to, she wasn’t doing this just to spite Adora. She needed money, and this was the first option that presented itself to her. She knew what happened to rustlers, she wasn’t stupid. She  _ was  _ stupid for letting her guard down. Adora looked like she was almost brought to tears again. It was her instinct to want to apologize and make her feel better. In the moment she let her gaze soften up, two shotguns were raised and pointed at her and Scorpia. Then she was thrust back into reality.

She glanced over to Scorpia, who was shrinking away nervously at all of the weapons being aimed at them. Adora was the only one who didn’t reach for the shotgun at her side, yet this time she wasn’t ordering her friends to lower their weapons. She met Adora’s gaze and let her ears droop.  _ Just this one time, _ She thought.  _ Please look the other way.  _

Adora looked away and took her weapon in her hands. Catra’s eyes widened and a faint gasp escaped her. Never in her life did she expect to see this with her own two eyes. She was so dumbfounded that she didn’t even have the sense to be angry, she was just… in shock. Adora knew these people for only a week at most, and she knew Catra her whole life. Yet she raised this weapon against her for… for  _ them _ ? Did her survival just not matter anymore?

Now she was angry. Not at Adora, but at herself. She was stupid to think that she still mattered to Adora, or that she ever did. “So that’s how it is?” She finally spoke, her voice low and growly. She raised her chin and glared at her challengingly. “Go ‘head. Do it. I won’t move.”

The shotgun quivered in Adora’s hand. “Catra I…” She looked down at the gun and threw it on the ground. “I won’t shoot you!” She cried. “I don’t want you to turn down this path, I don’t! Live with me in Brightmoon, we can—”

Catra raised her hand to cut her off. “Adora, let me ask you this.” She said. “When you were ready to move in with your Brightmoon buddies, did you once think about me? Did you once think if this was what  _ I _ wanted? Or was I that forgettable that you latched onto the first two people you bumped into on your way to Thaymor?”

Adora paused to try and process her questions. “No… no, it ain’t like that! I just wanted—”

“That’s how it always is with you, ain’t it?” Catra argued, cutting her off. “It’s always about what Adora wants, it’s always rope Catra along to whatever dumbass idea Adora has.”

“These people need me, Catra.” Adora was firm on that. “The Horde’s ranch empire is going to—”

“Yeah, I’m aware.” Catra waved her hand in disinterest. She was annoyed that Adora never really answered her questions. “There’s a lot of ranches out there that don’t got money, Adora. You can’t help all of ‘em! What, are you gonna leave these two the next time you see another pair a’ broke sons a’ bitches beggin’ for help from their hero Adora ridin’ upon her noble steed?”

“Don’t talk to her like that!” Bow exclaimed as he put himself and his horse between her and Adora, Glimmer doing the same as well. The both raised their guns at Catra. She hissed and reached for her revolvers. Adora gasped and raised her open weapon as well.

That sight alone was all that Catra needed. Her hands slowly slid away from her holster and down to the reins. She tugged at the reins and Storm turned around. “C’mon, Scorpia.” She ordered. “Let’s get outta here.”

Scorpia obediently followed after her. “B-but the sheep?” She stammered.

“Forget it.”

“Catra, wait—!” Adora called out and turned to follow her, but Glimmer cut her off. She raised herself higher on the saddle and raised her voice. “Catra, come back! You don’t have t’do this!”

Catra spurred Storm to urge her to run faster. She felt Scorpia’s eyes boring into her back, probably about to explode with all of the questions she had building up in her mind. Adora kept calling her name, and she grew angrier and angrier each time. She wished Adora would stop putting on this front that she cared about her, she wasn’t buying it. It was getting annoying by now. 

They weren’t on the same side anymore. It just took now for Catra to really accept it.

* * *

“Adora,  _ what _ is going on?” Bow demanded. He sounded so angry, it was like a completely different person was talking through him. “You said that she was friendly, then the next minute she’s shootin’ at you and rustling livestock.”

“I thought she was your friend?” Glimmer added.

“She…” Adora paused to get a lump out of her throat. “She is, I swear! I… I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

Glimmer shook her head and started muttering to herself. “So you have an old friend who’s pissed off at you… they’re rustlers… they’re armed… and they know where I live… this is perfect.” She turned and Enchanta started trotting towards the sheep. “Let’s just get these back to Perfuma.”

Adora and Bow lingered behind. “Is she mad at me?” She asked Bow, her voice sounding like a whimper. She couldn’t stand the thought of two of her friends hating her at the same time, she didn’t want  _ one _ of them hating her in the first place.

“She’s just…” Bow sighed and shook his head. “Give her some time, I doubt she’ll be mad at you for long.”

_ So she _ is _ mad at me _ . The promise that she wouldn’t be mad for long didn’t help settle the guilty feeling twisting about in her stomach. She and Bow trotted over to the herd of sheep and urged them forward back in the direction they came. She wanted to ride over to Glimmer and apologize for everything and promise to keep her safe. She tried to listen to Bow and just give her time. It was probably for the best, she kept messing everything up every time she opened her mouth.

Adora was leading the herd on this time, with Bow and Glimmer behind her keeping the sheep in line. She fought the urge to glance over her shoulder every five seconds. Was Glimmer glaring daggers at her? Should she say something? Was Bow mad at her, too?

“Hey, Glimmer…?” When Bow spoke up, Adora tensed up and kept her head forward. “Now that this is reminding me, can we talk about the drive?” She heard Glimmer groan at the mention, like it was just another weight on her shoulders that she had to carry up this hill. “The four of us can’t work the drive on our own, we need people to help us. Can we ask Perfuma to lend a hand as a reward for bringing her sheep back?”

Glimmer rubbed her temples. “You can ask her if you want, Bow.”

The silence between the three was heavy for the rest of the ride. The only time any of them spoke was to bark orders at the sheep or their horses. When Perfuma’s ranch came into view, Adora wasn’t sure if the feeling she got was relief or dread. Once these sheep were delivered back to their pen, she and Glimmer had to face each other. She didn’t want Glimmer to become another Catra, she wanted to fix things before they became worse. But how was she going to do that?

Glimmer whistled loudly as they came down the hill, announcing their arrival to Perfuma who was hammering a fence post in place. She dropped her hammer to the ground and covered her mouth with her hand, gasping in disbelief at the sight before her. “Y’all did it!” She cried as the trio rode in with Perfuma’s flock. “I don’t believe this, not a single one is gone!”

“You can thank Adora,” Glimmer said.

“No, we  _ all _ did it.” Adora corrected with a smile.

They dismounted their horse once the ewes were all brought into the pen. Adora and Glimmer met each other’s gaze for a moment. The moment she opened her mouth, Perfuma scooped the three of them up in a hug that forced the air from their lungs. Adora wasn’t expecting her to have so much strength in those arms.

“Thank y’all, thank y’all so much!” She squealed as she bounced on her toes. “I don’t know how to thank y’all!”

“You can help us on the cattle drive,” Adora said bluntly. Bow elbowed her side playfully, but he still gave her a scolding glare for being so upfront with the offer.

“Shoot, of course I will!” Perfuma exclaimed as she placed her hands on her hips.

Glimmer blinked in surprise. “Well… Thank you.” She nodded politely to her. She glanced up at the sky as it started to dip into the mountains. “I know we said we’d help with the fence but…”

“Oh, y’all head on home.” Perfuma insisted. “Y’all got stuff to do, it already means the world that you went through so much trouble today.” Arrow snorted sadly and hung his head. She smiled and stroked his mane. “Aw, don’t get all sad now. I’ll braid your hair next time we meet, alright? Oh! Take this before you go, partner.” She raised an apple to his lips, which he happily took before nuzzling her neck affectionately.

They took off once they managed to pry Arrow away from Perfuma. He kept nickering and glancing behind him, wishing he had gotten more time to relax in the field of wildflowers and get his hair braided. Adora stroked Swift Wind’s mane. He worked hard today and he built up quite the sweat on his body. She promised to herself to clean him up as soon as they headed home.

She glanced over at Glimmer. Enchanta’s head was held steady and her body was relaxed. Was now a good time to try and talk to her? “Glimmer…?” Adora broke the silence between them. Glimmer didn’t seem angry when she looked at her, at least she didn’t look as mad as she was before. 

“Look Glimmer I…” She probably should have rehearsed her apology better in her head and taken the time to calculate every possible outcome. “I’m sorry I’m givin’ you all this trouble. I didn’t know Catra would be a problem. Just know that I’ll do anything to keep you and Brightmoon safe. I promise you that.”

Glimmer smiled at her and leaned over her horse, giving Adora a one-handed hug. Enchanta affectionately nibbled at Swift Wind’s mane. “Thank you, Adora.” She said. “You’ve been a big help to us. I just… thanks.”

Adora felt a bit better knowing Glimmer was just as bad with words as she was. She didn’t know what else to say, so she picked her reins up. “You think you can beat me this time?”

“I definitely can!” Bow said challengingly from the other side of Glimmer.

“Arrow won’t be winning no races,” Glimmer teased. “He’s all full of sugarcubes and apples.”

“He didn’t eat that much!” Bow protested in offense.

Swift Wind already broke off into a gallop ahead of them. They both cried “ _ Hey _ !” in sync before their horses galloped after them, the three of them laughing together as they tore across the field of wildflowers.

* * *

Catra leaned against the wall, standing in the shade cast by the saloon. Scorpia was next to her, watching their horses grazing before them. Her tail had been swishing like an angry rattler the entire ride back, and she hadn’t said a word. Scorpia nervously tapped her pincers together. Trying to approach Catra right now was like poking a sleeping mountain lion with a stick. She tried to think of something to cheer Catra up. At least, things that didn’t involve her getting scratched or things being shot at.

“So um…” She spoke up. Catra’s yellow eye on her left glared up at her. She gulped hard and nervously proceeded forward. “Do you wanna… talk about it?”

Catra’s ear twitched. “No. I don’t.” She said. Her ear shifted behind her and she put a hand on Scorpia and pushed her behind Catra. “Quiet,” She hissed. “Someone’s coming towards us.”

“Is it—?” Catra hissed like an animal at her until she fell quiet.

Catra tried to appear nonchalant, but her claws were unsheathed and her hand was on her holster. A large figure turned the corner, cigar in lip as they towered over both her and Scorpia. Catra’s eyes widened in surprise and her ears lay flat against her head. “You… you’re…” She paused to get air in her lungs to finish. “Huntara…?”

Scorpia bent down to be at eye-level with Catra. “Is this another friend of yours?”

“ _ Stop talking _ !” Catra hissed quietly as she shoved her back. 

Huntara wasn’t a person to spit at. Leader of one of the most aggressive and feared gangs this side of the west. Every town Catra has been to has had a poster with a bounty on her head or on her gang members’ head, but no one would be dumb enough to try and bring her in dead or alive. If anyone tried, them and their entire family would be wiped out like rats in a barn. Beneath her dark shotgun coat were scars marking times when people tried and failed to take her down. There was a scar stretching from her eyebrow and across her nose, and another one extended from her lower-lip down to her chin. A shotgun hung on her back and a bandolier hung over her chest.

“Your name is Catra, ain’t it?” Huntara pointed at her as she spoke, a puff of smoke coming from her mouth. Her question sounded more like a command, the way one would tell a dog to sit and speak.

Catra narrowed her eyes and tried to gather herself. “Who wants to know?”

Huntara was amused by her attempt to look intimidating. “You know my name, don’t you? Only makes sense I know yours.” She took her cigar and tapped it. “Word ‘round here is that you’re a good shot with those revolvers there.”

Catra would have loved to nod and show off how quick and accurate she was with a six-shooter. But Huntara wasn’t just any person. If she was talking to her right now and asking those kinds of questions, she wanted something. Catra didn’t want to answer any of them until she knew what she exactly wanted with her.

“What do you want?” She demanded, cutting right to the point. That amused Huntara.

“What I want?” She echoed with a smirk. She chuckled and shook her head. “Well, I’m a smart woman. I’m sure you are, too? If you are, you’d know when to spot an opportunity and seize it. Right now, I see someone with the skill and drive to become something more than a scrappy kid trying—and failing—to rustle some sheep. And I want to make something out of them.”

Catra’s tail swished, feeling around to make sure Scorpia was still behind her. “And what am I seeing?”

Huntara started laughing like she had just been told a joke. She quickly settled down and caught her breath after about a minute. “Well, I suppose money, if that’s what you want. But that’s not what you want, is it?” Catra’s heart sunk. Huntara saw her tail droop and she smirked. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Catra looked behind her. Scorpia was standing completely white in the face and trying to hide behind Catra. She looked back up at Huntara. “My friend can come, too?”

Huntara nodded, gesturing for them to follow. “As you wish, kid.”

Catra turned to look at Scorpia. “You alright?”

Scorpia was giving her that look again. “I’m your friend?”

Catra rolled her eyes and stormed after the gang leader. “I knew you were gonna make a thing outta it.”


	7. The Heiress of Salineas

Catra and Scorpia followed after Huntara on horseback. There weren’t any trees where they were going, just dull-colored shrublets and large rocks scattered about the dry and rough terrain. Their horses' hooves carved crescents into the red earth beneath their feet as they galloped into the canyons. Scorpia’s horse pinned their ears back anxiously at the large red walls that towered over them.

The canyons of the Crimson Waste was where Huntara’s gang was roosting for now, trying to lie low until their next big heist came. The land lived up to its name; the brittle dirt was red as blood and rage, and the only life out here were flies buzzing around waiting for the next thing to drop dead. As the sun set over the red plateaus, the air started to become cooler as the sky grew dark. 

It was then that Catra realized that she wasn’t going to be walking away from this. At least, unless she agreed to pledge loyalty to this gang and accept all of the consequences that came with it. If Huntara was taking her to their criminal hideout, she wasn’t going to want them just leaving with knowledge of where they were hiding. 

She was ready to accept that. She wasn’t going to be good for anything else, it wasn’t like she had to keep her record squeaky clean as if she wanted to go to a university or something. To her surprise, Scorpia was ready to accept that, too. Catra assumed that she was just saying that because she wanted to keep walking in her shadow. 

Catra even told her not to come, that she’d probably throw her life away and never be able to come back. If she dies in a shootout, that’s it. She was annoyed by Adora treating her like a sidekick to just drag along, she’d be a hypocrite if she did the same for Scorpia. When they mounted their horses, Catra asked one last time if this was what she really wanted.

Scorpia gave a dismissive wave of her giant pincers and said: “Don’t worry about me.”

But now was the last moment for them to change their minds, to turn around and leave in a last effort to try and have a normal life. Catra didn’t have a reason to steer her horse around and walk back. What else was there for her? The smelly barn that she had to sleep in? Shadow Weaver’s short temper? _Adora_? But Scorpia had a family. She didn’t talk about them too much, though. Catra knew nothing about family, but that would make her more hesitant to join a gang of criminals. 

“Huntara, wait up.” Catra called out as she pulled her horse to a stop. Huntara glanced over her shoulder and glared at her in annoyance. She was riding atop a handsome seal brown stallion with a strong neck and large feet. She made a gesture with her hand that Catra assumed to mean she allowed them to slow down, but she wasn’t going to be happy about it.

“What’s goin’ on?” Scorpia asked as her heavy horse stopped beside her. “You aren’t backing down now, are you?”

Catra’s ears pinned back and her face got warm. “I—No, I am _not_ !” She cried defensively. “I’m asking _you_ if you’re changing your mind. C’mon, Scorpia. This isn’t a dumb sheep-rustling attempt, this is a gang. Like, the kind that robs trains and shoots folks that look at ‘em funny. Are you ready for that?”

“I already told you, we’re good on my end.” Scorpia puffed out her chest as she spoke in a humorous tone. She leaned over her horse. “Are _you_ though?”

Catra knew that she was joking, but that question annoyed her. She clucked her tongue and gave Silver Storm a gentle tap with her spurs, urging the mustang onward. Huntara took that as a signal that they were ready to keep moving, and her horse continued moving at a trot.

Huntara was leading them into the canyons, tall red walls towering over them and casting them into cool darkness. Huntara was confidently leading them through, knowing exactly which turns to take. She said that she knew these canyons better than the back of her hand, and it showed. Catra made sure to follow close behind her, she wasn’t sure if she’d find her way out on her own if she lagged behind too much.

The fur on Catra’s tail bristled the further into the canyon they got. It was fully nightfall by now, and it was only getting darker the longer they traversed this uneven and rough path. “I thought the path leading into your gang’s camp would be more… guarded?” She said, sounding almost unimpressed at the lack of shotguns being pointed at her from the shadows. 

Huntara laughed with enough force to cause some pebbles and dirt to cascade down. “Ah, don’t believe every bullshit story the sheriffs say, kid.” She said with a nonchalant shrug. “Them folks said we got guards on machine guns and all that nonsense. That ain’t true, kid. We’re just a buncha people tryin’ to survive in a world chewed us up and spat us out.”

Catra’s chest bounced with a silent chuckle. She never thought she’d relate to the sentiment of hardened criminals. She was about to become one, so it only made sense.

Huntara didn’t really talk much about her gang when they were having drinks at the bar. Maybe she did, and Catra was too focused on pretending the whiskey they ordered didn’t completely burn her throat to the point of tears. She was talking more about her views on the world and what she wants it to become. 

Huntara held more hatred for the government and laws than she had water in her body. The strong should be making the rules, she said. Not those who gained strength through bullshit means like money or family names. Those who were strong like her had to become strong through struggle— _real_ struggle. People like her deserved to be making the rules. Pompous city-slickers didn’t know what it meant to struggle, yet they’re the ones setting laws in place and hoarding cash. 

She mentioned that her gang was made up of people like Catra; a bunch of downtrodden folks wanting to become strong enough to fight against whatever it was that wronged them. They all had pasts that led them down to the life of crime, she said, though she never gave any examples. It was this that made Catra more open to follow her, and maybe Scorpia also felt like this gang had a place for her.

They passed by a box canyon where some cattle were fenced in. A few longhorns reared their heads towards them as their horses trotted past. When they turned the corner, they were greeted with a wide bowl-shaped valley, a wide river cutting through the middle that some horses drank from while others slept. Most of the members were laying in tents in a drunken slumber, others were sitting around a fire pit on the other side of the river, beer bottle in hand. Huntara whistled loudly to announce her arrival. Except for those sleeping, all eyes turned to her.

“We got fresh meat, y’all.” Huntara announced. She dismounted her horse and let some wrangler take off the bridle and saddle. Catra and Scorpia exchanged a look before dismounting their horses as well. Silver Storm bit Catra’s sleeve, but let go when Catra gave her a gentle pat assuring her that she wasn’t leaving her.

Huntara casually stomped through the river that was up to her knees. She turned to Scorpia and Catra, who were both standing around waiting for their next instruction. “C’mon, y’all.” She called with a gesture for them to follow. “My girls ain’t gonna bite you. _Yet_.”

Scorpia stepped into the river and flinched. “ _Oh_ ! Jeez, that is _freezing_!” She shuddered as cold water gently flowed around her knees and soaked her pants. She glanced over her shoulder. “Hey, uh… Catra? Aren’t you comin’?”

Catra didn’t realize that her entire body became frozen stiff. She stared at the flowing water with pupils shrinking to thin slivers. Her tail became stiff and her fur stood on end. She tried to move, but her body wasn’t cooperating. Some animalistic instinct inside of her told her that water was something to be feared. This wasn’t something she could fight, despite trying desperately hard to right now.

The sound of laughter snapped her out of her frozen state. All of the gang members sitting around the fire were staring at her, including Huntara. One of them was pointing and laughing at her. “Boss, I thinks that kitty cat ya' done dragged in is scared a’ water!”

Her fangs bared and her tail started lashing like a rattler. She backed up quickly until she was a good length away from the river. She dropped on all fours and began sprinting towards the river, forcing her eyes forward instead of down. She leaped cleanly into the air and soared over the river. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as her pulse quickened beneath her skin. _Don’t look down. Don’t look down._

She landed on the other side, her claws digging in the ground as she skidded to a halt. The exertion of energy didn’t take a lot of energy out of her, yet her chest still rose and fell with heavy breaths. She glanced up at Scorpia as she came out of the water, tapping her pincers together like she was clapping. With a roll of her eyes, she stood up and patted the dirt from the palms of her hand.

“Nice form, Catra!” Scorpia praised as she joined beside her. Catra grumbled unintelligibly at her acting like a kiss-up. 

Huntara walked over to Catra and put a large hand on her back, leading her towards the gang members sitting around the fire. “Don’t be bashful, kid.” She jested with a snicker. She gave her a sudden push that almost upset Catra’s balance. “Meet the rumored Quickdraw Cat, y’all.”

Scorpia gasped loudly in awe. “Catra you already have a cool outlaw nickname!” She said, sounding almost jealous. “Can I get one next? I already have a bunch of ideas! No no, _you_ come up with one, that’ll make it more authentic!”

A skink-person laying in the dirt slapped their thigh and started laughing. “This’n is that Quickdraw Cat we been hearin’ bout?” Her accent was so thick Catra barely understood what they were saying. “She gets spooks like a mare at water, yet yer tellin’ me she’s the fastest draw ‘round?”

Catra put her hand on her holster and her hackles raised. “You lookin’ to find out?”

Huntara kicked her foot up on a chair and rested her elbow on her propped up knee. Catra saw a print being made on the cushion. She didn’t care that she was putting her dirty boot on this piece of furniture that they most definitely didn’t buy with their own money. This was hers, everything in this campsite was hers, and she can do whatever she wanted with it.

“Let me make something clear,” One of the Huntara’s girls handed her a lit cigar which she took and placed between her lips. She paused to inhale before blowing gray fumed from her nostrils. “From this day forward, you are loyal to me and me only. Not your friend here, not the joker that you used to work for, and you sure as hell aren’t loyal to the government. Me and me only, got that?”

Scorpia nodded with a submissive whimper. Huntara glared at Catra until she nodded as well. “I don’t tolerate traitors of any kind ‘round here, kids.” She continued with a tap of her cigar. “If you sell any of us out, if you do _anything_ to betray me and destroy everything that I’ve worked for, I’ll put a bullet between your eyes and leave you for the coyotes.”

Catra’s muscles tensed up beneath her skin and fur. She stated that so casually, like she was just reciting the weather forecast for the day. She didn’t have to speak in a low growly voice with her handgun pointed at Catra to get her point across. She didn’t have to do all of that to be intimidating, that would be the work of an amateur that has to hide behind a gun because they hold no real power.

Huntara took her leg off of the chair and walked over to Catra, towering over her and casting a harsh shadow upon her. She clenched her fist so hard that her knuckles popped in unison. “You are going to defend this gang with your life, kid. So I better not see you so much as _think_ about pointing them revolvers at one of my girls. Are we clear?” 

Catra narrowed her eyes and nodded, slowly letting her hand slowly fall down to her side. “You are going to live and die for this gang,” Huntara continued, looking between both Catra and Scorpia. “Pledge your loyalty to me. Both of you.”

Catra paused for a moment and let her gaze fall to the ground. She didn’t like the idea jumping from one boss to another. What was the difference in working for Hordak and working for Huntara? Aside from the obvious fact that one was on the side of the law and the other wasn’t, that is. 

_Power_. That was the difference. That’s what this gang could offer that Hordak could never give her. She never had any power to call her own in her entire life. She was just a worker, nothing more. She was never an individual, never someone with skills that held value or thoughts and feelings that had any importance. She was born with claws and teeth, but she never got to use them.

Huntara said she saw something in Catra. Nobody’s ever said that to her before. She noticed that Catra had skills, wants, desires, and wanted to give her the chance to be an individual for the first time in her life. She had felt weak for so long, powerless to put up a fight against the world that had wronged her so many times. Now she had the power, the ability to fight back. She had claws and teeth, and she was going to use them.

Catra met Huntara’s gaze again and nodded. “I’m ready.”

* * *

The river that cut through the land had become smaller and smaller ever since Adora arrived. This morning when they drove the cattle into the pastures, they found the river sitting dry as sun bleached bones. The cattle licked the dry earth where the river used to be, hoping to find any bit of moisture from the ground.

“Jeez…” Adora felt a bit dumb for not being able to piece together a more appropriate response to their situation. Glimmer was kneeling on the ground, staring at the earth that was starting to crack under the heat. “This here heat really dried this river up fast.”

Glimmer let dirt cascade from her palm and fall to the ground by her boot. She narrowed her eyes and curled her hand into a fist. “It wasn’t the heat,” She growled as she stood up. “Someone’s cut off our water.”

“Huh?” Bow and Adora both said in unison as Glimmer mounted Enchanta, who had been pawing at the ground with her hoof. She clucked her tongue, and Enchanta turned and started trotting back in the direction that they came.

“Why would our water get cut off?” Bow asked with a frown as he joined up beside her. Arrow’s head was low and he was licking at his bit with a dry tongue. Bow gulped and adjusted his bandana. “You don’t think that Mermista’s family would have cut it off, do you?”

Adora remembered that name. Rather, she vaguely knew of her parents. She had heard Shadow Weaver mention having discussions with them over business or whatever the hell. Adora never paid any mind to that stuff, really. 

“I don’t know,” Glimmer gave a heavy sigh. “But Hordak’s ranch has water, and we don’t. Isn’t that a little suspicious?”

“Hey, let’s not jump to conclusions.” Bow said sternly. “Something must have just gone wrong in the mountains. Mermista is an old friend, right? I doubt she’d purposefully block the river from getting to us.”

Glimmer went quiet for a moment before spurring Enchanta so she moved at a quicker pace. “Let’s see what Mama has to say about this.”

Bow gave Arrow a spur and followed after Glimmer. He glanced over his shoulder, noticing that Adora was trailing behind. Swift Wind’s head was low and his ears were pinned back, with his hooves dragging miserably along the ground. Adora herself was staring blankly forward, though her mind was clearly elsewhere. He whistled loudly, which snapped her out of her daze.

“Are you doin’ alright, Adora?” He asked as she finally caught up with them. Glimmer looked over her shoulder, only now noticing Adora’s miserable look on her face, and gave her a pitiful frown. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Adora said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’m not thinkin’ ‘bout Catra or nothin.”

Bow blinked and he and Glimmer exchanged a look. “I didn’t mention…?” Bow shook his head. If she wasn’t ready to talk, that’s fine. “Did you hear what me and Glimmer were talking about?”

“Yeah, about the water?” Adora was starting to return to reality now as Swift Wind started moving at a canter until he passed the two of them. “Well c’mon, cowpoke, y’all are movin’ too slow!”

They got back home quicker than they normally would, their horses moving with more urgency today than most other days. They quickly found Angella out in the paddocks and trimming the mane of one of the spare horses. Adora saw her close her eyes and sigh, like she knew that they weren’t all rushing over because they had good news for her. Adora felt almost guilty for giving her more food on her plate than she could handle.

“Mama!” Glimmer called as she dismounted Enchanta and jogged over to the paddock fence. Angella walked over to her and set the brush down on the rail of the wooden fence. “Mama, we gotta talk. The river’s run dry, like completely dry.”

“What?” Angella gasped and looked past them in the direction of the river. She had a genuine look of horror in her eyes, Adora hadn’t seen her look that shaken before. She was always so calm and collected, at least in front of her daughter and her friends. This was a new side to her that Adora wasn't familiar with.

“Glimmer thinks that someone is cutting off our water,” Bow added as he stood beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. 

Angella closed her eyes and let out a long exhale through her nose. Adora took her hat off and held it at her chest. “What should we do, ma’am?” She asked. “I’m ready to help out in any way I can.” 

Angella went quiet for a moment longer to iron out her plan. “We’ll ride up to Salineas immediately, I’ll have a talk with them.” She pushed open the gate and walked over to the shed where their wagon was parked, the three of them following in her shadow. “This is absolutely unacceptable, they can’t deprive our land of water.”

A cart horse was harnessed and attached to the wagon by Angella and Bow while Adora and Glimmer helped take the saddle and bridles off of their own horses. Swift Wind shook his head and snorted when he realized that he wasn’t coming with them. Enchanta snorted and nuzzled Glimmer, sensing the stress that was coming from her rider.

“We won’t be long,” Adora promised. She gently pushed Swift Wind back to keep him from following her. Swift Wind snorted in frustration, begrudgingly standing beside Enchanta in the paddock as he watched his rider turn and walk away. Arrow was already rolling around in the dirt to get the sweat off of him.

Glimmer and Adora pulled themselves over the paddock fence and walked over to the wagon, which was ready for them to go. Glimmer sat beside her mother in the front while Bow and Adora climbed into the back. “Mama, can I drive the cart?” She asked with a flutter of her eyelashes.

Angella sighed reluctantly and switched positions with Glimmer so that she was sitting on the right side. “Alright, tell the horses ‘Walk’ when you’re ready.” She said as she rested her hands on her lap.

“Adora, Bow, do you have your…?” Glimmer asked as she glanced over her shoulder. Angella scolded her for not keeping her eyes forward.

Adora patted the holster on her side, and Bow nodded to her. “Yeah,” She answered, lacking any enthusiasm in her voice.

Adora had purchased a revolver yesterday when they went into town. She didn’t want to keep borrowing guns from other people, and she didn’t want to be caught in a situation where she’d be at the end of a barrel with nothing to defend herself. She kept telling herself that her weapon was for defense, not to attack others. If it absolutely came down to it, she’d use it. She didn’t want to, though, but she would if it meant protecting her friends.

That fact unsettled her. What if Catra one day would be at the end of her barrel? Would she pull the trigger if it meant protecting her friends? Was Catra still her friend? Why did she have to choose between Bow and Glimmer or Catra? It didn’t have to be one or the other. What she wouldn’t give to talk with Catra one on one, no animals being rustled or weapons raised. If she could just get her to understand, everything would all be so much easier.

Angella kept breaking the silence of the ride every few minutes to critique Glimmer’s driving. Add pressure, give less pressure. Every time a turn was made, Angella said Glimmer’s turning was too wide or not wide enough. She quickly got annoyed by her mom barking at her over the tiniest things. Adora could practically see the steam blowing from her ears whenever Angella had a new comment to add.

“We’re coming on another turn,” Angella reported.

“Yeah, Ma. I know the way.” Glimmer grumbled, trying and failing to veil the annoyance in their voice. The carriage started turning the corner, Glimmer visibly trying to do exactly as her mom told her for the sake of not having to hear another annoying comment from her.

“You’re moving too slow around this corner,” Angella tapped Glimmer’s hand with her long finger. “Why don’t you—”

“Do you mind?” Glimmer snapped and harshly pulled the reins up, causing the horse to pull back as the bit tugged on its mouth. “God, do you have to keep breathing over my shoulder like that?”

“I’m _trying_ to help you!”

“Does it look like I need your help?”

Adora and Bow exchanged an awkward glance between each other. Bow’s expression read that this was something that he had gotten used to over time, and all that he could do was just sit quiet and wait for it to blow over. Luckily for the two of them, it got quiet after this last back-and-forth between them. If Glimmer ever made mistakes in her ride, she and Angella would glare at each other and maybe even let out a frustrated sigh.

It got cooler once they rode up into the mountains. There was more green here than back in Brightmoon. Squirrels and birds lived among the coniferous trees that towered over them. A pack of wolves howled a distance away. Bow and Adora had a laugh howling back at them in hopes that they’d get an answer. They saw a river flowing below them through the trees where a family of deer stopped to drink.

The wagon moved up the path until they were greeted by a house that sat looking over the valley. The house was large, made from a pre-cut design, as was the barn that sat beside it. Some brown and white dairy cows were lounging in the grass, either sleeping or grazing. A couple of Thoroughbreds were drinking from a trough in their paddock. It made Adora regret not bringing Swift Wind, he’s probably dying for a drink right now. 

Someone stepped out of the barn, leading a mare along with her foal. She stopped at the sight of the wagon pulling in and parking in an open space off to the side. Angella waved at her daintily the way a queen would as Glimmer put the breaks in. “How are you, Mermista?” Angella asked as she climbed out of her seat.

“Fine,” She answered, making sure to keep a good grip on the foal’s halter to keep him in place. Glimmer tried to keep a straight face, having come here for business purposes, but Adora was squealing at the sight of the adorable foal standing beside her.

“Where are your parents?” Angella asked, standing tall over all of them. 

“Inside,” Mermista nodded towards the house. Angella nodded to her and made her way towards their home, Glimmer and the others hanging behind as she approached the entrance.

“Who’s this little guy?” Adora cooed as she reached a hand out to the foal. Once he was comfortable with her, she started stroking the young colt’s muzzle. She squealed whenever he made adorable little sounds, or wobbled on their long legs that they were still growing into. 

“Er, his name is Raju.” Mermista said, looking between Glimmer and Bow, waiting for them to explain why this random person was petting her horse.

“This is Adora,” Glimmer said as she rubbed her forehead. “She’s a new hand back at Brightmoon, she's been a big help.”

“We need to talk, Mermista.” Bow was quick to jump to their point as he stepped forward, his tone sounding so stern and serious that it sounded like it was coming from another person. "Something bad's happened at Brightmoon."

Mermista let out a groan and started walking past them. “ _Lord_ … can it wait until after I put these two in the paddocks?” She didn't wait for an answer before walking away. Adora was squealing at the adorable little colt walking with an energetic gait alongside Mermista and his mom. Once they were fenced in, Mermista turned around and leaned back against the fence. “So what is it you wanted to talk about?”

“The river?” Glimmer said, assuming Mermista already knew what she was talking about—which she apparently didn’t. “The river running through Brightmoon? It’s completely dry, know anything about it?”

Mermista shrugged casually. “No, not really.” She mumbled. “If you think we had anything to do with that, we don’t.”

“We never meant to accuse you,” Bow said, giving Glimmer a look as he did so. “But if that’s the case, then what happened to our water?”

“Hell if I know,” Mermista said bluntly before walking past them, not wanting to get involved in whatever it was they had going on and get back to work. Despite no one putting up an argument, she let out a groan in defeat and quickly stopped and turned back around to face them. “I mean, if you _really_ want to see what’s up, we can go down and take a look.”

“You mean it?” Glimmer exclaimed before pulling her in for a hug. “Oh, that’d mean the world!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Mermista mumbled, giving her a pat in return before leading them down the path. “It’s not safe to take horses down, we’re gonna have to travel on foot.”

“That’s fine. We need the exercise, right?” Bow suggested in an attempt to be optimistic. 

“So what happened?” Mermista asked, leading them back down the trail that they came. “The river just dried out?”

“I have a feeling someone’s cut off the water,” Glimmer nodded as she walked beside her. “Our neighbor’s land has water, but ours doesn’t. Ain't that suspicious?”

“Guess so,” Mermista said. “A lot of ranches have had their water cut off, big ranches usually do it to drive out competition.”

“ _Hordak_ ,” Adora growled under her breath, saying her thoughts out loud again.

“Yep, especially that guy.” Mermista nodded as she pointed a finger at Adora. “The Horde’s cattle empire does _nooot_ like having competition, even from quaint lil’ family businesses like y’alls. They definitely aren’t going to be nice about it, Twinkle, I’ll tell you that much.”

Glimmer growled and balled her fist. “Damn him and his family… he’s been tryin’ to buy Brightmoon for years, he won’t give up! All that land he got just ain’t enough, is it?”

Mermista stopped in the middle of the road and pointed towards a rapidly flowing river carving through the land below them. “That river leads off to Brightmoon.” She reported. She started carefully climbing down the rocky terrain ahead of them. The only climbing advice she gave was: “Careful where you’re stepping.”

Adora, not wanting to be shown up, was the first to have dropped down and started climbing down after her. Mermista made it look so easy, she was probably climbing up and down this mountain since she was a kid. All her weight was held in her fingers and toes as they tightly gripped the boulders. Adora lost her grip and tumbled halfway down, letting out a yelp before landing on her back on the rocky ground below.

She shot a thumbs up at Bow and Glimmer who looked down at her with concerned looks. “I’m okay!” She called out. “C’mon, it’s easy!”

Glimmer smirked and rolled her eyes, following Bow to a less treacherous path down. He slid down, one hand held out for balance as he cautiously made his way down. He took Glimmer’s hand when she started coming down, taking her hand and helping her onto solid ground. Adora felt a bit stupid for not going down that easier route, but at least she didn’t look like a quitter.

After Adora dusted off the gravel from her back and rubbed the soreness from her shoulders, she followed Mermista through the trees with the others. They had to be aware of the uneven and rough terrain. They walked with one arm out to keep balance or grab onto something if the earth slipped beneath them.

It became slightly easier to traverse once they walked alongside the river, though every now and again they’d have to climb down some rocks and then keep going. Adora suddenly stopped and dropped to the ground, examining the prints made from boots on the ground. 

“Hold on, y’all.” She said. Everyone stopped and looked at her. “Someone’s been riding through here… they’re headin’ the same direction we’re goin’.”

“Ain’t us. None of my family’s been comin’ through here,” Mermista said with a shrug. “It’s probably squatters, let’s keep movin’.

Several more minutes of walking, and the cause of their problems was laid out before them—a dam. Made from stone and wood, the dam blocked the river from getting any further. The backed-up water flooded a bit, making the grass around it wet and muddy.

“There’s your answer, Twinkle.” Mermista said as she put her hands on her hips, letting out a heavy sigh from the hike they just endured. “Someone’s dammed up the river.”

“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me,” Glimmer let out a pathetic laughter at the sight before her. A dam, of course it was a dam. Whatever, she couldn't focus on it too much. She didn’t care how this happened or who put it here, she wanted water to start flowing back home. That's all that mattered to her right now. She walked over to the dam and gave it a good kick, the structure not budging one bit. “So how do we get this—?”

A bullet suddenly ricocheted off the rock before her. She yelped in surprise and jumped back, Bow catching her before she stumbled into the water. “Get to cover!” He shouted as he pulled her towards the trees. 

Adora pulled out her revolvers, trying to mimic the way Catra used to do it. She saw a figure hiding among the shadows and she fired at them, the person’s body lurching back as the bullet struck him in the shoulder. Another bullet zipped past her and struck a boulder. She fired blindly in the direction it came from. Her bullet landed into a tree rather than an actual person. Once they came out from their cover, she fired three times with the third one landing and sending them collapsing onto the ground.

She only had two more shots in the chamber. “Is that all of them?” Adora called out. No more bullets were fired their way, so she assumed that was all of them.

Glimmer went over to the guy laying groaning on the ground, clutching the dark crimson that grew across his shoulder. She kicked his gun out of his hand and grabbed his collar. “Why were you shootin’ at us?” She snarled. 

“Please don’t kill me, I beg ye’!” He simpered, raising his hands defensively. “We ain’t built this dam, we’s was paid to defend it!”

“Paid by who?” Glimmer shook him, raising her fist and aiming it right at his face. He whimpered and shrunk away from her.

“What are you doing on my family’s land?” Mermista added with firmness in her voice.

He kept glancing timidly over at Adora who was now joining the party. “Th-the lady… she paid us to keep folks from removin’ the dam… that’s all I know, that’s all I know! I ain’t know a name, she just gave us a job!”

Glimmer was about to punch him until Bow swooped in and grabbed her arm. “That’s enough, Glimmer!” He shouted. “We aren’t thugs, this isn’t how we handle things!”

“They’s left some dynamite!” He cried, in hopes that’d convince them to spare his life. He pointed over to a bush past them. “P-please! I ain’t mean t’shoot ‘cha! I’s just doin’ my job!”

“Shut up,” Glimmer spat before standing up. Mermista was walking over to the bushes, lifting it up with her foot to reveal a crate of dynamite left behind, likely by the construction team blowing up rocks and plants that were in their way. Glimmer’s eyes beamed like a kid in a candy store. “Can I do it?”

“No.” Bow said firmly, giving her a ‘We’re talking about this later’ look. “I’ll do it, you all stand back.”

Adora, Glimmer, and Mermista took cover several yards away behind the trees. Adora and Glimmer with both nosy and peeking out to see the explosion. Once Bow lit the sticks of dynamite, he immediately turned and bolted towards them, running as fast as his legs could take him. 

The dynamite exploded as Bow dove behind cover, the wall crumbling as a cloud of dark gray smoke rose from the explosion. They all erupted in cheers and applauded as they saw the river water crashing and flowing freely through the land again. Glimmer pulled the three of them all into a hug, squealing with excitement as she forced the air from their lungs.

“We did it!” She cheered as she jumped up and down on her feet. Tears of joy started to well up in her eyes. “I can’t believe it, we’re getting our water back!”

Mermista looked back up at the mountains. “Uhh, we should probably get back and explain what that explosion was all about.”

Glimmer froze. Oh, Angella was absolutely going to throw a fit over her daughter getting caught in the middle of this. “Yeah, we… probably should.” She laughed and playfully slapped Bow on the back. "You should have seen your face, Bow! You were so scared!"

"Of course I was!" He cried with a crack in his voice. "I thought I wasn't gonna make it, I thought it was gonna blow me to bits!"

They all erupted in laughter until Mermista spoke up. "That was some nice shooting," Mermista said. Adora wasn't paying attention, so she repeated herself. "I said: That was some nice shooting you did back there. You saved our hides... what was it again?"

"Adora," She answered. She rubbed the back of her head and dipped her head humbly. "Please, I'm not normally that good a shoot. I was panickin' the whole time, really."

Adora lingered behind and looked over at the river, watching as the water began flowing through as normal, rolling over the remains of the dam that had been built to hold it back. _The lady_ … who else could that be but Shadow Weaver? That slimy, crooked woman always did shady things to benefit her business. Rather, it was Hordak’s business, she probably hoped that if she was sneaky enough she’d take it for herself. She didn't care that she took water away from hundreds of livestock and their owners, all she cared about was chasing them off the land so she could swoop in like a hawk and take it. Well, she was going to have to try harder than that if she wanted to take Brightmoon for herself.

Her old life seemed to keep following her no matter what. It seems that helping Brightmoon would be going beyond just shoveling horse manure around the ranch. Shadow Weaver would definitely try something when it came time to drive the cattle north on the drive. If she was going to help these people, she was going to have to put an end to the Horde’s cattle empire for good, along with Shadow Weaver’s shady tactics to wipe out the competition. Not just for the sake of Brightmoon, but for ranches all over that aren't strong enough to be able to fight back against them.

Now how the hell was a dirt-poor ranch hand working for a dirt-poor cattle ranch going to accomplish that?


End file.
